The Dawn of Change
by Red Moon Kree
Summary: If you thought the words "Artemis Fowl" and "kidnapping" were bad when they were in the same sentence, what if Artemis was kidnapped? Well LEP be able to save him? Or will they want to? Which old enemy has a part in this...Chapter 7 up but its a bit short
1. Prologue

**Well, it's my second Artemis Fowl fic …. I want to /try/ to make this long…… long…….. but I doubt the profile will be very long.  
  
Anyway, I have no new major characters, I repeat, no new major characters. Maybe new goblins and enemies and LEP agents and stuff, but no one really major to the story. I just finished the new Artemis Fowl book, "The Arctic Incident" so some of the characters in that book are in here.**  
  
**Enjoy!**  
  
Artemis Fowl, the second smiled as he looked at his laptop screen. There, the "mail" icon was flashing continuously. He clicked on it and his smile grew wider as he saw whom it was from. He read the email five times. He was happy now, ever since the return of his father his whole family was brought back together again, but the email gave him an even happier feeling that he, a genius mastermind like he, could have never thought up of, theorized, or dreamt of.  
  
What made the day even better was that he was going home. He would never have to go back to Saint Bartleby's School for Young Gentlemen ever again. He could spend the rest of his life do a anything he pleased, never having to put up with those ridiculous psychologists, whom Artemis usually "persuaded" them to retired right after they met Artemis.  
  
Artemis saved the email, along with the rest he had received from the same person. He closed the laptop and put it to his side. He was eighteen now, and anyone would have thought the twelve year old boy they new would change, but he never did. Still pale like he had been with his jet-black hair very neat. He still outwitted and outsmarted everyone he knew and had already finished his college degree, medical, law, graduate, Ph. d., Master, and the list went on and on.  
  
Butler came into the car, quietly. Too quietly. With Artemis's peripheral vision, he saw that Butler had not conducted the bomb check under the car; he had not inspected his luggage or the trunk for any suspicious items either; and Butler had the strangest look on his face.  
  
Remembering what Holly told him years ago, he looked into Butler's eyes. The iris of his eyes was a bit jagged. Artemis knew at once that Butler had been mesmerized.  
  
"Butler!" Artemis ordered. "Don't start the car! Do not drive anywhere! I order you!"  
  
Butler turned the key of the car without listening to his master. He paid no attention and kicked the accelerator to a quick speed.  
  
"STOP!" Artemis yelled.  
  
But Butler only went faster, and faster, and the school behind them grew smaller … and smaller in the distance.  
  
Artemis Fowl stared out the window. It was useless ordering Butler to stop. At the moment, his attention span was less than a butterfly's, which can be a dangerous thing on the road. The first part they drove by was basically city; lots of houses, many stores, many cars, and anything else a noisy and busy city might have in the midst of Ireland.  
  
Soon, the myriads of stores and cars turned into myriads of trees and countrysides. It would have been beautiful to look at the Irish countryside in the day, with the beautiful emerald green grass and the golden fields, with the lovely cottages, and the sapphire sky with the warm sun that made everything look like a fairy tale, but it look somewhat like a horror movie at night. They passed by a strange statue of someone who seemed very familiar to him. It was gray and dark, and for once in a long time, Artemis was frightened. Artemis grew worried by every turn of the wheel where they could be going.  
  
Artemis began to think. Not like an ordinary 18 year old boy, but he began to think in his genius ways. Who could have mesmerized Butler? That was the first question. Obviously, the answer was a fairy. Artemis was used to answering his own questions. Every question could be answered, that's what he followed by. But why? Why Butler? Or was that fairy somehow trying to get to him?  
  
Maybe it was LEP, the Underground elite branch of fairy police officers. Maybe they needed his help, but wouldn't Holly of told him? Was some fairy just after his gold? Or was it something more?  
  
Finally, Butler slowed down to a stop in front of a large manor. "Let's go now." Butler mumbled as he slowly got out of his seat and opened Artemis's door. Artemis cautiously got out, and wished he had sunglasses so he himself, could be shielded from the mesmer. He turned around and gasped when he saw the manor.  
  
It was his.  
  
Every part of it, the color, the design, the architecture, the gargoyles! Everything! The lawn around it, a perfect replica or his manor? Or was it the real thing? For once, Artemis was stumped.  
  
The door to "his" house opened, and out stepped /his/ family and Juliet. They were all smiling and they to them to embrace them all. But Artemis did not return the embrace, or the smile.  
  
"Hello, my dear boy! We've missed you!" His father exclaimed.  
  
"Yes …" Angeline smiled. "We just got some construction workers to dig out an artificial lake as a "welcome home" present!"  
  
"Artemis! I made your favorite food! Shrimp Parfait!" Juliet squealed excitedly.  
  
Artemis sighed. "This act is pathetic and poorly played." He glanced around. "First of all, there is no artificial lake in sight. My favorite food is /not/ Shrimp Parfait, it's caviar. /My/ mother would wear that dreadful color, orange, because that is the color of the repulsive /food/ the Mafiya fed my father when he was captured and it reminds her of that horrid time. /Juliet/, you are wearing a skirt that is made in India, and only India and is never shipped out of that country. We have no acquaintances from India, and we have never been there either, nor purchased such a skirt. And /my/ father has one leg, he lost on in an explosion." Artemis glanced at the two feet his /father/ was standing on.  
  
"Ooh, you're a clever boy." "Artemis Fowl Senior" scowled. "Briar said we might have some trouble with you."  
  
"Briar-" Artemis gasped, but he was immediately hit by a large club and fell to the ground. He groaned as he could feel a bump forming on his head. Then, his "father" took out a strange looking gun and aimed it at the mesmerized Butler. He shot.  
  
Artemis would have screamed so loudly when he saw Butler fall, but Artemis's eyes closed, falling into unconsciousness …  
  
**Well, here's one fact I know for sure: If I REALLY want to get the results I've always dreamed of, I have to do better next chap ….**  
  
**plz review!**  
  
**Kree** 


	2. Chapter One: Three Words, Two Things

**Well, I really worked hard on this one …. Let's see how this turns out ….**  
  
**Kree**  
  
Captain Holly Short strolled down the LEPrecon headquarters hallway down to her own little office. Ever since the "B'wa Kell" incident five years ago, she was promoted to second in command, just under Commander Root. The first female officer in history to have made it this far. She proudly opened the door, walked leisurely to her desk, and sat down on her nice, soft, swivel chair.  
  
She remembered what it had been like years ago, coming into the LEP headquarters. Though she would always be on time, Root's beet purple face would always be in hers, yelling at her for being "late". There would be captains later than her and her Commander would /still/ yell at her. But then after the "Fowl" incident, he never got on her case that often, and actually respected her. It was strange how all of that changed, and now she would hardly ever hear a yell from Commander Root now. She closed her eyes and relaxed …  
  
If only her life as a Captain could only be this simple.  
  
Commander Root opened her door and stepped inside. Holly immediately opened her eyes and pretended that she was just about to turn on the computer systems in her office. She weakly smiled at Commander Root, seeing if she could get away with "sleeping" on the job.  
  
"Hello, Commander Root." She said quickly.  
  
"Captain Short …" Root grinned as he walked by her desk. She straightened up, trying to look professional. She hadn't changed a bit. She had her auburn hair tied up and her LEP suit fitting her quite muscular body perfectly. She was still defying and arguing with him, but he won most of the time and he seemed to accept it now a lot more. "I have a little assignment for you …"  
  
Holly hid a groan. "What is it, Commander?"  
  
"Do you know Private Chix?" He leaned against her desk.  
  
Holly couldn't hide that groan. Of course she knew Private Chix. Everyone knew how he felt about her, and he thought he was absolutely irresistible. She remembered the last time she saved his life: he acted as if he knew she would always save him. She rolled her eyes just thinking about him. She spent most of the day avoiding him.  
  
"Yes sir." She finally answered.  
  
"Well, he has fully recovered from the "B'wa Kell" incident." He continued, while inspecting her system.  
  
"Oh, that's good." Holly knew how most of the time, he had aids to help move his left arm, and how he was blind in his right eye.  
  
"And the Council has given consent to let him fly again."  
  
"Fly? Really? Great. Wonderful. I'm so happy for him." Holly said without a care.  
  
"I want you to supervise his flight."  
  
Holly's jaw dropped. "What? You've got to be kidding? /Supervise/ his flight??? Supervise? Commander, I'm not a babysitter. He must still remember how to fly! He knows the controls! It was only five years ago, Commander!" Holly whined.  
  
"And he's a sprite, Short, a sprite. You know how they behave! You know how they get distracted! You know they tend to disobey orders and do what they please!" Root argued.  
  
"Like me?" Holly smirked.  
  
"Yeah, like you, but they're a different case."  
  
"Commander, I am not, not, NOT going in. Can't you get another pilot to retrain him and "baby-sit" him?" Holly complained.  
  
"Holly," Commander Root grinned, with Holly nearly pumped with fear when he said her real name. "Why should I get another pilot to train him when I can easily get and order the best pilot in all of Haven to do it?"  
  
Holly groaned. Her Commander had won.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"I love it when we're cruising together!" Private Chix Verbil sang as he steered the pod's controls.  
  
"I don't." Holly shook her head, nearly about to hit it against the window. She couldn't stand this. "Verbil, I can't believe you actually listen to Mud People music. It's revolting to even think about."  
  
"I dunno about that, Capt'n." He grinned. "It kind of has a catchy tune to me." He liked glancing at Holly every now and then. Holly /was/ pretty, it was kind of obvious to see. He wanted to see her face every chance he could get.  
  
"Chix, just pay attention. You got one chance, I suggest you don't waste it or you'll be taking out trash for the rest of your sprite life." She sighed, and wondered if Root did this just to torture her. He probably did.  
  
"Hey Holly, can we stop by over a restaurant and get somethin' to eat?" He asked.  
  
"No, Private. This is a training session in flying. Not a training session in eating. I don't want to get sick watching you eat."  
  
"Is it me, or have you grown taller?" Chix tried to compliment.  
  
Holly sniggered. It was the most stupid thing to ask. Sure, mostly every LEP agent was taller now, because of the new potion Foaly had just invented. The "groce" it was called and it increased their height by a lot. Instead of Holly being just a centimeter under three feet, she was now way above five. So was a lot of fairies Underground nowadays.  
  
Chix smiled and took the controls and spun the pod upside down and then right side up again. He smiled, liking the bit of pleasure he just had. Holly, who was surprised by the sudden "ride" banged against the window. She groaned and glared at Chix. "Private Chix, you better hope to Frond that Foaly doesn't know about that or you're a dead sprite."  
  
"I do." Spoke a voice on the intercom. "Foaly know everything." Foaly laughed.  
  
Holly shrugged at Chix. "Good luck passing the Council's test now."  
  
"Well, actually …" Foaly started. "Root and I made a little bet … if Chix would pass or not and I bet on Chix. Sorry Holly, but I /might/ just let that pass by."  
  
"God, Foaly, you're annoying." Holly gritted her teeth.  
  
"Hey, that's what I'm here for."  
  
Chix and Holly flew around for another hour. It seemed like forever for Holly, absolutely having a nightmare, but for Chix, time flew right by. He enjoyed every second of it. Holly counted each second that went by until she would have to "order" Chix to stop and land.  
  
It was that second.  
  
Holly tried to hide a grin. "Okay, let's see if you can still land, do you remember?" Holly asked.  
  
"Of course I do. How could I ever forget?" Chix boasted.  
  
Holly quickly scanned for a clear space where they could land. She spotted a wide deserted ally way and pointed to it. Chix flew the pod over to that area, and slowly, he landed perfectly.  
  
"Great job, Verbil." Holly jumped out of the pod. He did the same, trying to impress her. "And now for the next test."  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"Are you sure you're ready for this?"  
  
"Ready?" Chix scoffed. "Of course I am."  
  
"We now walk to LEP headquarters."  
  
"What? That's a whole two hievgs (2.5 human miles)! Can't we just use the pod?" Chix whined.  
  
"Oh Verbil, you've been babied with the gift of flight. You can't get too attached to it. You've got to learn how to walk on your own two strong legs that you were given!" Holly grinned.  
  
Chix groaned. He knew he was going to pass out even before they had finished on hievg. What an impression that would make.  
  
However, he somehow, somehow, did seem to make it anyway. Of course, with a little help from Holly, he managed to walk 1.5 hievgs until they stopped to rest. They were right near the E37, the pressurized elevator that led up to the Mud People's world. To be specific, it led to Paris, but that didn't seem to matter anyway. They sat by a bench, resting for maybe five minutes. Chix was out of breath, breathing heavily, so to quiet him down, Holly gave him a water bottle.  
  
"Thanks." Chix took the water bottle and chugged it down. He offered some to her, but she instantaneously refused. First of all, she didn't need it. She was accustomed to walking these long distances without water. Second of all, /he/, Chix, just drank it.  
  
The E37 doors opened, but the passengers were not fairies ….  
  
They were Mud Men.  
  
How the hell did they get into the elevators? Holly screamed that thought in her mind. What traitor told them about the People? Holly immediately grabbed Chix and pulled him aside to an alley. She held up a walkie talkie device to her mouth. "Foaly! We have Mud Men on E37, repeat, Mud Men on E37 with weapons! Send down a troop now!" She was nearly yelling.  
  
"Roger that." For once, Foaly seemed serious. She heard him ordering a troop, and he was yelling too. This was a serious issue. No time for his smart mouth to kick in.  
  
"Mud Men?" Chix stuttered.  
  
"Yup, we've got ourselves a serious group of twenty Mud Men, Chix. Get out your Neutrino 4000 now and get ready for your first bit of action." Holly popped out her own Neutrino 4000 and got her index finger ready for a shooting position.  
  
"You mean we're gonna shoot?" Chix trembled, for once looking weak and scared.  
  
"Of course not, we're gonna play tag with them! What do you think, Verbil? Of course we're gonna shoot!"  
  
Chix looked as if he was going out cold.  
  
Holly sighed. "What's wrong Chix?"  
  
It took him a while to answer, and he looked embarrassed. "I've … I've never shot a living thing in my entire life."  
  
Holly was nearly cracking up. "Never? In all eight years?"  
  
"Only in practice." He swallowed.  
  
Holly thought for a moment. "Chix, let's make this a little easier. Let's pretend that Mud Man over there is the person you absolutely hate the most. Pretend how much you would like to wring your hands around his or her neck." Holly started. "And then …" She pretended to sound like she really meant it. "Think of it as /doing it for me/."  
  
Chix grinned. "Okay."  
  
Holly weakly smiled and when Chix turned away, she was nearing vomiting about what she last said. Pretty pathetic, but it worked well for fooling this sprite.  
  
"Verbil, stay here and shoot from here. I'll take the other side. I know how to cross /much/ better than you."  
  
Chix nodded, actually agreeing with her for once.  
  
She looked at her pointer finger, where one single scar rang across it horizontally. "Artemis, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be able to shoot this gun." She whispered to herself. "I'll do this for you." So Holly ran to the other side of the Mud Men, shooting one as she ran. The rest of the Mud Men started shooting her. They missed and Holly didn't worry that much until … The blast from the gun forced her flying into the ground. Though her reflexes were quick, she did not expect this. Her lip began to bleed, but she quickly got to the other side.  
  
Holly was astonished. Flabbergasted. How did these humans all of a sudden get such advanced weapons? All they had to do was shoot it near the target, and it would cause an explosion anyway. They weren't that advanced yet. The last time Holly went up there was just a week ago, and there was no advancement of the human race.  
  
The LEP troops got there, led by Captain Trouble Kelp. He led about thirty corporals and lieutenants into battle. Holly continued shooting, as so did Chix. Though the Mud Men's weapons were advanced and able to cause a huge and monstrous impact, Holly was not greatly affected by it. She only had to protect Chix from getting a kiss from their new weapon.  
  
There were only twenty Mud Men though, so the fight did not last long. The rest who were surviving, which was only about four, retreated and went back into the elevator, escaping the scene. Holly sighed as she leaned against her "barricade". It was over. She took deep breaths, and walked over to wear Chix had been shooting from. Chix had a few bruises and scratches, but nothing really serious. He still wore a defiant grin as she walked toward him.  
  
"Congrats, you've survived your first battle." She said.  
  
"Yup," he grinned. "I bet you're really proud of me."  
  
"Yup, sure. Really proud." Holly nodded, exaggerating every word. "You did pretty well. Who did you think of?"  
  
Chix's grin grew even wider. "Guess."  
  
"An old childhood enemy."  
  
"Nope."  
  
"A current enemy."  
  
"Nope."  
  
"A rival."  
  
"Nope."  
  
"A sibling."  
  
"Nope."  
  
"A criminal."  
  
"Sort of."  
  
"Cudgeon?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Who? I give up." Rolled her eyes.  
  
"Artemis Fowl."  
  
Holly's jaw would have dropped, but she decided to save her emotions. "Artemis Fowl." She asked, trying to look surprised. "Why Artemis Fowl?"  
  
"He kidnapped you. And he could have killed you."  
  
"Chix, that was nearly six years ago. I don't have a grudge on him. Why should you?"  
  
"He did it, didn't he? What if you weren't here today? What would have happened? What would have happened when Cudgeon attacked before?"  
  
"But I am here, that's the important thing, right?" Holly argued. "Things change, Chix. People change, even the worst of heart."  
  
"It almost sounds like you're defending him."  
  
Holly sighed. "Chix, we better hurry to the Commander. I have a feeling that he will want to hear a report from us."  
  
Chix shrugged. He could care less about walking, but it was with Holly.  
  
"Holly, I think you might want to hear this." Said a voice. Holly looked around, and then finally realized with was Foaly talking to her in the head phone.  
  
"What Foaly?" She questioned.  
  
"We just got an interesting note. Some Mud Man was also here too, and he shot an arrow to the LEP building. It could go through the window, you know how we feel about bullet proof windows. Surely an arrow would have no chance against it either."  
  
"Go on." Holly said, listening carefully.  
  
"Well, with the arrow, there was a note attached to it."  
  
"Primitive," Holly nodded. "But effective."  
  
"I dunno, but it's still an insult. Thinks he's Robin Hood or something and he'll beat us second to one."  
  
"What did the note say?"  
  
Foaly took a deep breath. "I will be strictly protected after this moment. You will not be able to harm me after I read this to you."  
  
"Foaly, I already can't hurt you because you're our only technician. Shoot."  
  
Foaly read the note, and with every word, Holly's eyes widened. She nearly dropped the walkie talkie. Chix saw that Holly's eyes grew almost teary as she looked away but she wiped them away. Fear and worry took over every emotion in her eyes. Her once seconds before, strong, confident, determined eyes, had quickly turned into weakness.  
  
"Activate your wings, Chix." Holly ordered blankly after Foaly finished.  
  
"What? What about the test?"  
  
"Looks like we'll be taking the expressway this time. We're flying to Root's office right now."  
  
Chix didn't mind. He was happy that this walking test was off his back. They activated their wings and flew to Root's office.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Commander Root." Holly burst into his office. No appointment, no knocking, just burst in.  
  
"Holly, I'm surprised you're actually bursting into my office for once." Root rolled his eyes. "So, what do you want Holly?"  
  
"I found out something right after the Mud Men attack."  
  
"Oh? What?"  
  
"Think about these two words in the same sentence and how strange it seemed at first when you first heard it. I just got some news from Foaly."  
  
"What are the words?"  
  
"Artemis Fowl" and "Kidnapping"." She replied plainly.  
  
**Yes, it was exactly my goal!!!!! Plz review!** 


	3. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**  
  
It has been brought to my attention that I have made a mistake while writing the first chapter. I have reread the second chapter of "Artemis Fowl, The Arctic Incident" and found my mistake as well. So here … I will explain some things.  
  
Chix was hit in the wing himself in the B'wa Kell incident. Though he wouldn't be able to fly with his wings anymore, he wouldn't be allowed to fly a pod or ship either. The arteries that were damaged in the winds affected the sprite's body completely, and when he fell, he was hit in the eye and damaged his arm. He was in no condition to be flying a pod.  
  
Plus, the Council didn't trust him anymore.  
  
  
  
Okay, that should clear a bit off my mind …  
  
  
  
Enjoy the rest!  
  
  
  
**Kree** 


	4. Chapter Two: The Mission Begins

**I have to admit, this will be a little shorter than what I wanted and the last chapter. I am trying my HARDEST to make it seem like a book …. Plz review!**  
  
**Kree**  
  
"D'ARVIT!" Root slammed his fist against his desk. "Who did Fowl kidnap now?"  
  
"The funny thing is …" Foaly stepped in from Root's office door. "Fowl didn't kidnap anyone. Fowl /is/ kidnapped."  
  
"Ha ha, very funny. The GREAT Fowl? Mr. Artemis Fowl the Second? Artemis Fowl Junior?" Root questioned.  
  
"Who did you think?" Holly snapped. "Look what the note says:" She handed her commander the note and he grabbed it aggressively, straightening out the edges so he could read the crisp human language:  
  
**Did you think your problems were all gone?**  
  
**Did you think you could rest on the job?**  
  
**We have a little message for you**  
  
**That may make little Short sob**  
  
**We kidnapped Mud Boy, Artemis Fowl**  
  
**There's nothing you can do**  
  
**Sit back, and then you'll see*  
  
**What we'll do to the world and you**  
  
"D'arvit!" Root slammed his fist again against his desk. "Who the hell are they?"  
  
Chix stormed in, a little upset that Holly had left him all alone and she took off so quickly. "What's going on?" Chix questioned.  
  
"Chix, stay out of this. This is important LEP business!" Root ordered.  
  
"Oh, and who do you think I am? A non LEP agent?" Chix retorted.  
  
"With that attitude, you might be!"  
  
"Commander! Chix!" Holly shouted. "Are we going to settle this professionally?" She turned to Chix. "Chix, this mission is too dangerous. It's too complicated. We have our standards for these missions." Holly explained firmly.  
  
"Oh yeah?" Chix sneered, looking a bit insulted. "And what is the mission?"  
  
"Short! This isn't a mission yet! It is not assigned and the Council has not approved!" Root yelled.  
  
"The Council won't go for this. I'm going on it on my own." Holly turned around and started to walk to Root's door.  
  
"On your own? Short, are you crazy? Even though you're the expert on the Fowl cases, you can't go alone!"  
  
"Fowl cases?" Chix repeated. "This is about that Mud Boy Fowl?"  
  
"He ain't a Mud Boy anymore. He's eighteen." She said to Chix. "Commander. I need to go. He helped us, and now he needs our help." And then Holly thought of another reason. "Why would anyone kidnap Artemis Fowl and tell us? It holds some importance. What if this starts a cross species war? This is important not only to us, but the whole existence of the People!"  
  
Root sighed. "Foaly?"  
  
"I think she's right, sir." Foaly nodded. "We have to stop this, as well as put Fowl back in the safety of his own household and our services." He started. "I'll go with Holly." He went on her side, this time he knew Root's glare wasn't on him, but it was Chix's. He didn't want to lose the few friends he had.  
  
"Wait a minute… They're /saving/ Fowl? Why should we save him? He's just a Mud Man! He took our gold! He could have killed Holly!" Chix exclaimed.  
  
"He also saved my life." Holly grabbed his LEP uniform. "We're not only saving his lives, but maybe even more. Nothing can stop me from going, not even the damn Council."  
  
"I'll do it. I'll go to the Council right now." Root replied. "Foaly, where's the note?"  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Root walked out of the Council building wearily while Holly, Chix, and Foaly waited impatiently. Immediately, Holly ran up to Root. She saw almost a disappointed look in Root's face, but it was hard to tell. He looked serious, but with a slight bit of triumph, but a whole lot of disappointment.  
  
"Commander, what happened?" Holly demanded.  
  
"They approved of the mission … but …"  
  
"What?"  
  
"They said that I didn't have control on who comes with me. Only the LEP agents who want to come may come. None of them accepted the mission." Root sighed.  
  
"Commander." Holly said firmly. "I am going."  
  
"I am on the mission." Foaly said.  
  
"Holly, you aren't going on the mission with just Foaly. I am going with you." Root replied.  
  
"We have three, Commander. That's enough. Remember the B'wa Kell incident? We had a lack of agents as well and we won." Holly assured him.  
  
"Make that four." Said a voice behind them.  
  
Holly, Root, Foaly, and Chix turned around and saw a figure step out of the doorway of the Council building. He was a familiar figure with light brown hair with hazel eyes. He was tall with his full LEP uniform decorated with many badges. Holly finally recognized him.  
  
"Captain Kelp!" She smiled.  
  
"Captain Short, count me in." He gave back a warm smile. He turned to the Commander. "Commander, Captain Trouble Kelp, reporting for duty, requesting mission." He saluted.  
  
"Request accepted." Root saluted back. "It's good to have you with us, Kelp." Root shook his hand. "If only Corporal Grub were here …"  
  
"Yeah." Trouble swallowed, and looked away. "If only …"  
  
"I'm sorry about Grub, Trouble. That accident last year …" Foaly looked sincere, and decided to shut up his normal self for awhile.  
  
"Trub," Holly took his hand. "It's not your fault, and he's with you always. He's always your little brother who's tagging along with you." She gave him a reassuring smile. Captain Kelp could only smile back, and didn't seem to mind when Holly called him Grub's pet name for him, the name he was annoyed with the must.  
  
"Are we going to waste mushy talk now? We have a Mud Boy to steal back!" Foaly smirked.  
  
"The centaur is right … for once." Root eyed Foaly carefully, making sure that Foaly wasn't taping him like he did nine years ago, and every now and then. "We have business to finish. Let's move out and get a ship."  
  
The four, Holly, Root, Foaly, and Trouble turned around and started walking to the LEP aeronautics building. Holly turned back once and looked at Chix who was just standing there. She began to turn back again, but then the green sprite started walking toward her. She eyed him carefully, standing there for a moment, as Chix looked down, and his lips quavered to speak.  
  
"Well Chix? You going?" Holly asked.  
  
Chix sighed. "I'll go."  
  
Holly grinned. "Your first mission, Chix. This one is going to be quite an interesting start."  
  
"Should I tie my first two hooves?" Foaly shouted to them. "Maybe you could keep up if I'm only walking on two."  
  
Root groaned. "I guess I'm going to have to get used to your smart mouth in person for the entire mission."  
  
"In person?" Foaly was flabbergasted. "What do you mean, in person? I'm going with you? I can't! I have to stay in the Operations Booth! That's my job!"  
  
Root gave Foaly a grin that made Foaly begin to think that he should have listened to his mother and shut up his smart mouth years and years ago. "I already found a replacement for this mission …"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The five stepped into Operations Booth and looked around in Foaly's work area. There, in fact, was Foaly's replacement for this mission, was sitting in his chair, booting up the systems and working the controls. Foaly was aghast. How could anyone learn his system so quickly? It took him years to build it and it took years for anyone to learn it. He glanced over to Root, who still had a smug expression on his face. Had Root gotten ready for a replacement in advance if a situation like this came up?  
  
All of a sudden, Foaly realized who was the only one who could work his system on short notice. He prayed that his suspicions were incorrect though.  
  
He stormed up to /his/ nice, soft, black leather swivel chair and spun it around. He groaned. His suspicions were correct, as always and now he began to think that it could be a curse.  
  
It was a girl pixie, and the only girl pixie Foaly knew well, as well as Root, Holly, Trouble, and Chix (if you count out Vinyaya.). It was Opal Koboi.  
  
"NO COMMANDER!" Foaly yelled. "NO! NO! NO!"  
  
"I thought that you might feel a bit more comfortable with a person you were familiar with controlling the systems." Root smirked, knowing that he had the last laugh now.  
  
Foaly groaned as Opal winked at him and gave him a smug grin. "Commander! We can't trust her!!!!!!! Remember what she did before???? She spent all her years since then in prison!! WE CANNOT TRUST HER! SHE WILL BACKSTAB US JUST LIKE CUDGEON!" Foaly yelled.  
  
"Foaly, calm down. She knows the system perfectly, and is there no better candidate?" Root smugly snickered.  
  
"YES!"  
  
"Foaly, you can't argue with me. I /am/ commander."  
  
"Don't remind me …" Foaly murmured.  
  
"Foaly, if she does anything of the sort like she did years ago …" Root began. "She goes on a life sentence to Howler's Peak."  
  
"That she could probably escape from." Foaly muttered under his breath.  
  
"That's why you get to set the security."  
  
"Oh don't worry, Foaly," Opal sniggered. "Your systems won't start exploding on you until after a few centuries, after you least expect it."  
  
Foaly was just itching to make a comment back to her, just so he could annoy her at least a little bit. "Yes, but I don't keep my science medal from the university years ago in the Operations Booth."  
  
Opal looked furious and turned the swivel chair away from them. "Julius, everything will be fine. You can completely trust me."  
  
"We'll see about that." Root said.  
  
"We should get moving, Commander. I don't have much of a gift of patience, and neither will Fowl at this rate." Holly motioned with Captain Kelp nodding in agreement, Foaly getting ready to trample over Opal, and Chix just looking away.  
  
"Foaly," Root turned to the centaur. "Got any last things you want to tell Miss Koboi?"  
  
Holly sniggered. She knew that Foaly would want to tell her every last little detail of his baby. Foaly had built all these systems from scrap, and he was very overprotective of them and he put a lot of hard work and built a huge security system just for it. But Foaly didn't have time. He would have to make it quick and snappy.  
  
Foaly walked over to Opal, and though he looked huge and monstrous, not a bit of fear lingered in her eyes. "See those speakers?" Foaly pointed to several speakers that were side by side on the left of her. "Never turn these off. Never EVER turn these off. These are our communications to you, and your communications to us. Always listen for a transmission."  
  
"Uh huh." Opal nodded, in a not caring tone.  
  
"Watch these screens for intruders." Foaly pointed out to her on top. "The security system /should/ keep them out, but we have any /bugs/ that was planted … well, keep guard."  
  
"And if they /do/ make it to this room?" Opal questioned.  
  
"Well, Opal. I hope you have top class shooting skills …. Wait… I hope you have a gun." Foaly grinned.  
  
"How very reassuring."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"It's time to go above ground." Trouble grinned.  
  
"We'll take the E1." Root ordered. "The closest one to the Fowl Manor."  
  
"We're going ABOVE ground?" Chix squeaked. "Where the Mud Men live?"  
  
"Where do you think we're going? To the equator? Of course we're going above ground! How else do you think we're going to save Artemis Fowl?" Holly retorted.  
  
"Well … it's just that …" Chix began.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I've never been above ground."  
  
A grin formed on Captain Short's face. "Some mission, eh Private Chix? You get to work on a Fowl case for the first time, shoot a gun for the first time, AND ride the E1 above ground! Won't you have an exciting time up the elevator …"  
  
The elevator doors clang open. Root stepped in first and strapped in. Trouble Kelp came in second, comfortably sitting down and strapping himself in. There was nothing more in the world that he would rather ride than the pressurized elevators themselves. Holly came in quite comfortably too, and helped Chix strap in. Foaly looked around worriedly, wondering how he would strap himself in. Holly saw some straps with no seats against a wall, and helped Foaly strap in there.  
  
"Nice thinking, Holly." Trouble grinned. Holly returned the grin, and strapped herself in, leaning back. "Just like old times, right Holly?"  
  
"Yup. I haven't been on the E1 since the first Fowl case." Holly nodded.  
  
"Sit back and relax, Chix. You are going to have the ride of your life." Kelp said.  
  
Chix gulped as the elevator began to rise …  
  
The elevator started out slow … but only for a millisecond. Right after that, the old metal made ride went up lightening speed. Light itself would not have a chance against it, if both raced. The seconds seem to pass by like hours of waiting in a doctor's office, for Chix that is. He was shaking violently and vigorously, and he could feel his stomach rearrange. His head bumped against the wall behind him every half second, and strange memories began to pour through his mind. His heart was beating quicker than a rabbits, and it seemed like it was ready to explode. Foaly was calm, he was shaking a little, but not a lot, but he wasn't enjoying the ride either. On the other hand, Root, Trouble, and Holly enjoyed the ride. She and Trouble took quick glances at each other, and then to Chix, and grinned. And then Holly began to giggle watching Chix, something she had never done in all her years at LEP.  
  
The elevator landed. Chix was gasping with relief. Root, Trouble, and Holly got out, while Chix sat there, trying to catch his breath. Holly helped Chix out, as Trouble and Root helped Foaly out. Holly took his hand trying to guide Chix, because he was dizzy from the "ride" and was nearly falling down with every step he took.  
  
"Good job, Private Verbil." Root tried to hide a laugh. "You did a better job than most …. Except for Holly. She was our best one yet."  
  
"Nooooo…. Didn't you see me……I was great……" Chix was nearly falling.  
  
Holly rolled her eyes. Sprites: they're always so full of themselves, no matter what the situation.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"The Fowl Mansion …" Trouble looked around. "I remember the last time I was here …. One dart was all that brought me down then …"  
  
"Hey, but the most gung-ho agent in LEP don't fall down so easily now, right Trub?" Holly grinned.  
  
The five walked up to the Fowl's door, taking a deep breath. Holly was the only one who dared to knock on the door. Plus, she was the only one who could enter anyway. They had to be invited in, and she was /invited/ even if kidnapping isn't technically kidnapping. The door slowly opened, and Juliet answered. She saw Holly, but she couldn't recognize her. Then she saw Root and Trouble, and out of process of elimination, she guessed that she was Holly.  
  
"Holly! It's good to see you again." She said.  
  
"Hi Juliet. Guess you kind of know why we're here." Holly weakly grinned.  
  
"Yeah." She nodded. "Come with me, I'll take you to the Fowls."  
  
"Wait, we have to be invited in first." Root cut in.  
  
"Okay …" Juliet said, remembering him well. "You can all come in."  
  
She led the way inside as they followed. Root and Holly remembered the manor very well, and recognized the room they were going in as the parlor. Two adults sat in two armchairs, one a very beautiful lady, but who was in tears. She wore a blue satin dress that touched the ground. A man sat beside her, who was a bit scarred and had an artificial leg, and wore long black pants and a embroidered shirt.  
  
"Juliet …" The lady began. "Who are these people? You know that we don't want visitors." She sniffed.  
  
"Mistress Fowl." Juliet started and she motioned to Holly. "This is Holly Short, a close acquaintance of Artemis. She has come to help find Artemis."  
  
The man stood up. "How does Artemis know her?" He looked at the visitors' strange appearances. "Artemis has never been anywhere else except Saint Bartleby's and that's an all boy school."  
  
"Mr. Fowl. I am a fairy." Holly swallowed, trying to get the right words out. "And … I'm a friend of Artemis."  
  
It took awhile, but she, Root, and Foaly explained how they met, the story of what had happened with the gold, the B'wa Kell incident, and Holly shared a secret with them. She and he had been keeping touch with messages in email and on cell phone text messages. They reassured the Fowls that they would find Artemis at all costs.  
  
"There was a message that was emailed to us yesterday from Arty." Angeline Fowl commented. "Perhaps you would like to see it."  
  
"Yes, it would help a lot." Trouble replied.  
  
Angeline pulled out a printed out email from a drawer. She handed it to Holly and Root and they read it.  
  
IAUAK, 2 PM, JNE 19. MTING THR. FND INFRMTIN. IT WLL HLP.  
  
ARTMS FWL  
  
"I have no clue what the first word means, but the rest says " 2 PM, Jun 19th, Meeting there. Find information. It will help. Artemis Fowl." Holly shrugged.  
  
"I know what the first word is." Trouble started. "It's "Kauai" backwards. Kauai is an island in Hawaii."  
  
"And how did you know that?" Chix snickered.  
  
"First in geometry class of the Mud People World." He grinned.  
  
"Pack your bags, we're going to Hawaii." Holly murmured.  
  
"I'm going." Juliet shouted.  
  
"I am going as well." Mr. Fowl stood up.  
  
Root and Holly looked at each other. Root just gave her look that said "Holly, don't say anything. Anyway, the more people we have, the better, right?"  
  
**Wow, I can't believe I just wrote more than the other chapter. … and I don't even like this chapter ….**  
  
**plz review**  
  
**Kree** 


	5. Chapter Three: Battle of The Z

**Well yay!!!! School is out, my finals and studying days are over…for the sixth grade at least …. So its back to writing for me!**  
  
**A whole summer of writing!!! /sniff/ It's too good to be true!**  
  
**I like this chapter a lot. I hope it meets my expectations and yours though too…**  
  
**Kree**  
  
They had decided to take a ship. Flying there with the Hummingbird 2 was okay, but if there was a time of escape, they needed a more convenient way. They would only take two, Holly, Mr. Fowl, and Foaly in one and Root, Kelp, Juliet and Chix in the other.  
  
Foaly also introduced a new invention. He made sure that Opal was watching, so he could show off a bit. Not a bit actually, a lot. It was top class. A flying motorbike, all in one little cell phone size remote control. After pressing a button, the remote control would produce a hologram, and the hologram would become solid. This was a piece of advanced fairy technology.  
  
"Impressive, donkey boy, but don't let that get to your head." Root commented.  
  
"Thank you, Julius, but I only have three because of my low budget." Foaly smirked. "Holly, Verbil, and Fowl will get one." He declared. Holly grinned taking the remote control Foaly handed to her quite graciously. Chix handled the remote control quite carefully, as well as Mr. Fowl. They attached it to their belts. "Other than that, we have the walkie talkies, iris cams, and our weapons, and that's probably all we'll need. Oh yeah, we have this blanket too." Foaly took out a huge blanket that was about 10 feet long.  
  
"And what is that for?" Root questioned.  
  
"Oh, I dunno. I just think it feels kind of soft and fuzzy." Foaly grinned.  
  
Everyone else did too, and they felt the blanket and Root began to get annoyed.  
  
"Here, Julius, I think that you would like to carry it." Foaly smugly slipped it into Root's belt as Root scowled.  
  
"Well, if Mr. Donkey Boy is finished, let's move out." Root glared, seeing Foaly smirk because he purposely didn't give a motorbike to Root and he knew he annoyed the Commander. "Let's not keep the Mud Boy waiting."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"We're taking the E148." Foaly announced to them as they neared the station.  
  
"And we're taking two ships with us? How are we going to fit them on?" The Commander scowled.  
  
"Always come prepared." Foaly murmured. He held up two more remote controls that were slightly larger than the motorbikes'. He slipped them back into his pockets.  
  
"Can we get moving?" Holly motioned to Foaly and Root and Chix, Trouble, Mr. Fowl, and Juliet boarded the elevator. The two shrugged and ran into the E148. Holly adjusted the internal gyroscopes at once, and strapped Mr. Fowl and Juliet extra tightly.  
  
"What was that for?" Mr. Fowl asked out of curiosity.  
  
"We're trying to limit the amount of Mud Men vomiting in this one. A lot of tourists come through the E148." Holly replied.  
  
"Oh." Mr. Fowl suddenly felt uncomfortable.  
  
"Don't worry … There's a first for everything." Chix murmured remembering his first time up the E1.  
  
"Holly, take it easily. We have Mud Men coming up for the first time." Root ordered.  
  
"And how come you didn't do that with me?" Chix grumbled.  
  
"Verbil, when you come to ride the shutes a lot, you'll learn to enjoy them, and the speed is an extra bonus." Trouble grinned, catching Holly's grin as well.  
  
"Okay, let's see what this slammer can do." Holly pulled back the controls.  
  
And thus began another breathtaking ride to the surface…  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Jeez, and I thought theses suits were something since they now completely kept out the cold, but now, that's not the problem anymore. Now it's the exact opposite." Holly wiped the sweat that ran down her face as she steered the ship.  
  
"Blame Foaly, not me." Commander Root muttered through the speaker from the other ship.  
  
"Once again, if my budget was higher …" Foaly started.  
  
"Hey, what a good idea," Juliet said sarcastically from the other ship. "Mr. Fowl?"  
  
"I think we all need a raise." Trouble grinned.  
  
"There's a good landing place over there," Root ignored everyone. "Over there by the shore, so no one will see us. Take her in, Short."  
  
"Roger that." Holly replied. She grasped the controls and turned. She landed perfectly, right on the sandy shore with absolutely no one in sight. Perfect, they were at least miles away from civilization and they wouldn't have to risk anyone bumping into it. Holly took off her helmet. Sure, it was against regulations, but no doubt Captain Kelp, Private Verbil, and the Commander himself took theirs off as well. She fixed her hair and she unstrapped herself as everyone else did the same.  
  
"Verbil and Short, scan the area. Let's try to make this as quick as possible." Root ordered.  
  
"Okay, Chix," Holly began. "Your first lesson in scanning and spying. Exciting, eh?"  
  
"I wouldn't know…" Chix grumbled.  
  
"Well, Short, since you seem to have everything under control, why don't you show Verbil the proper scanning techniques?" Root ordered.  
  
"Yessir." She grumbled. "Follow me, Chix." She motioned as she turned around. "We'll take the west area."  
  
"Foaly, you take Mr. Fowl. Kelp, Juliet, and I'll go alone." Root commanded.  
  
Chix and Holly had already left, with Holly instructing him what to do. "You have to use your senses, Verbil. That is a fact when you scan. The first thing you do is look. Your iris cam will help you with that." Holly let Chix look around first before she continued. "Then, you use your sense of hearing. Listen to your surroundings, concentrate for slight movements or change in position."  
  
"Hey … I think I hear some voices to the left." Chix said.  
  
"Good, I was hoping you would hear that. And more importantly, you have to use your head." She winked. "No use using all your senses if you land yourself in a trap. Come on, let's call the commander now and tell him we might have found the meeting." She pulled the walkie talkie from her belt and put it centimeters away from her mouth. "Commander, meeting found, 59 degrees west. Repeat, meeting found, 59 degrees west."  
  
"How do you calculate the degrees so quickly?" Chix questioned.  
  
"You'll learn it soon, don't worry. Come on, those bushes over there should be just the right size to spy from." Holly pointed.  
  
They both tiptoed stealthily as they neared the bush. They sat down, and looked over the bush, to see what was there. Indeed, there was a meeting: chairs were put in many rows and there was a mini stage in front of them. There were Mud Men everywhere, some were talking, some were sitting down, and some were just look around, waiting for any signs of the beginning of the meeting. Holly saw a lot of Irishmen, and some Russian, but that was probably it. She caught sight of their eyes, and saw immediately that their irises were jagged deeply.  
  
"Chix, their mesmerized, see that?" She whispered to him.  
  
"How?"  
  
"Always remember: if a Mud Person's iris is jagged, the have been mesmerized. Also, sometimes you can tell by strange behavior, but must Mud People's behavior are strange anyhow."  
  
Moments later, Root arrived, and made Chix go to the back so he could watch from the front. Foaly came and he watched from afar as Mr. Fowl made his way where Chix was sitting. Then, Captain Kelp and Juliet arrived so they could watch too.  
  
Holly noticed that there wasn't that much commotion going on. Sure, it was kind of loud with everyone talking but not much was happening. But, after a few minutes, things started to change as a tall black caped figure stepped onto the platform. Holly watched the faces of every Mud Man light up with fear and attention as the man made a slight movement. Everyone quieted and sat down in their seats as the caped man cleared his throat.  
  
He wore Mud Man clothes; a jet black cape and a royal purplish tunic. He had a gold chainlike belt around his waist with bright jewels decorating it. He wore long black pants with high black boots. Though he wore the clothes of a Mud Man, it was obvious to Holly that he was not. He had pointed ears, and a fairy nose. This man was obviously a fairy. But what kind of a fairy would kidnap a Mud Man and betray his own kind, besides Cudgeon (Holly thought in her head)? He had neat dark brown hair and dark eyes. He was tall, and somewhat, attractive and handsome. He would have been to Holly at least, if it weren't for the chill that he sent down her spine. He was eerily somewhat familiar to her as well and an evil gleam in his eyes sent all her senses flying. His glare was full of hatred and malevolence.  
  
"Quiet up!" He shouted to the few people who were still talking. "We have business to discuss now." His hands folded as he walked across the platform.  
  
Another figure stepped onto the platform, wearing goggle like glasses around his eyes. He was not as tall as the man who was speaking, but only a little shorter. His light brown hair was a bit sloppy, while his eyes couldn't be seen at all. He wore a black trenchcoat sort of garment with a green turtleneck and black gloves. Around his waist was a tight belt that held a gun and a dagger on it. He had long black pants and boots as well. He was a fairy as well, with his smug cupid nose and pointy Elvin ears.  
  
"As you know, we have successfully kidnapped Artemis Fowl the second." The other figure announced.  
  
The crowd cheered, even if it was only a little, but there were a lot of delighted looks upon their faces.  
  
"From him of course," The caped fairy began. "We will ask, no demand a ransom for his safe return from his family, Artemis Fowl Senior and Angeline Fowl. They will pay of course; they would do anything for their son. And their rich as well." The Mud Men's faces were filled with pure delight and amusement.  
  
Holly could only scowl. "Mud Men … they are all so selfish …"  
  
"They will pay a pretty ransom fee indeed, for the young twelve year old Artemis Fowl Junior stole from the fairies himself before." The caped fairy glowered.  
  
"Why don't we just ask a ransom from the fairies themselves?" A Mud Man called from audience, not standing up just in case he was to be punished.  
  
The caped fairy only laughed. He laughed and laughed most maliciously as his expression turned into a scowl. "Are you kidding?" He snickered. "You actually think that the fairy council would PAY for a Mud Man's return?"  
  
"They have more gold. We get richer. More money." The voice started again.  
  
"Better with some than none. There is hardly a fairy in the Lower Elements that would /care/ about the kidnapping, except for maybe little Captain Short and their overweight Commander. What does that matter? Even if the Donkey Boy, Foaly cared, what could they do? The rest of the fairies? Not a chance! They all hate him."  
  
"So if the fairies don't care, then why did we send the message of Fowl's kidnapping to the fairies if only /they/ cared?" The Mud Man who had been speaking cautiously stood up with a little bit of fear in his eyes.  
  
The caped fairy chuckled. "You better watch yourself, foolish Mud Man. Though some of your points were good, your questioning self might just get on my nerve one day." He walked to the front edge of the platform. "We sent that message to eliminate some of the incompetent fools who might get in our way. It will all come clear to you, Mud Man, when the time comes."  
  
"Shall we move on?" The other fairy on the platform asked.  
  
"Yes. Now, after we get the ransom, we will go looking for your world's /greatest treasures/. Ones that you might call, "The Hope Diamond", and other riches like that." The caped fairy explained. "It will be very valuable in bribing or blackmailing more soldiers to join us in our army. All our riches will be used for gaining a more powerful, numerable, skillful army. The same, we will use the ransom for Fowl for army uses."  
  
"I have heard that some of fairies, sprites, pixies, elves, and goblins who have been recently attached to collecting such riches like you have mentioned." One Mud Man from the audience commented.  
  
"Agent Z, make note of that." The caped fairy ordered the fairy that was on the platform with him. "None of these /treasures/ I repeat, none of these treasures are to be used for anything else. All we need for ourselves … is magic." As he spoke the word magic, his eyes gleamed with a kind of madness that made Holly and everyone else who was watching shudder. "As some of you, the ones who actually pay attention know that I have fully regained every bit of magic that has ever run through my veins."  
  
The Mud Men cheered again. Of course, Holly had no idea what significance that held, so she watched on.  
  
"I will be able to power the ancient force that will drain and strip every last fairy of all their magic and acorns and it will all go to me." The caped fairy grinned wickedly. "We will be unstoppable. We will destroy LEP and we rule your world and mine for the rest of eternity!"  
  
The Mud Men cheered again, as if they were a bunch of drunk partying teenagers. Holly nearly grew sick from the sight. The entire scene was so /cliché/.  
  
The caped fairy smiled to himself. These stupid and pathetic Mud Men, who were they kidding? He had mesmerized them all quite easily, all of them able to believe his stupid lie of ruling the world with him. He wouldn't go through all that just to share power… like long before. Everything would turn out perfectly. He would have his revenge and then rule the world. No doubt the Commander was already on the mission of getting Fowl back. He couldn't wait to destroy all of them: Root, Foaly, Short, and Fowl. Maybe he find Koboi later … as a little bonus.  
  
"Okay … now our issue with Artemis Fowl …"  
  
But his eye caught sight of something … or someone. Well he caught sight of a long lock of auburn hair. He knew for a fact that the bunch he picked, none of them had long hair, like lot of the punks he saw on the streets. He saw … a girl. There she was … behind the bush … she was quite pretty, but no one he could recognize. But when he glanced to her side, he scowled. It was Commander Root.  
  
"It looks like we have some intruders …" The caped fairy lowered his eyes folding his hands together as Holly and Root froze. "Agent Z, why don't you take your troops and invite the them in? Get them!" He pointed to Holly and Root. "I want them alive."  
  
"Split up!" Root gritted his teeth. "And run as fast as you can to the shore."  
  
Holly jumped onto Foaly's back. Foaly just looked at her in disgust. "What do you think I am? Some kind of pony ride?"  
  
"Let's put it that way if you want it to be." Holly retorted. "Gallop, pony, gallop."  
  
Foaly, against his will, pretended to neigh and then he galloped away from the scene. Root ran out alone while Juliet and Mr. Fowl ran another way together. Chix ran away along and so did Trouble with Agent Z's troops hot on their tail. And literally, they were. On Foaly's at least.  
  
"Foaly, come on, faster!" Holly urged.  
  
"Hey, you're not the one who's running!" Foaly groaned.  
  
All of a sudden, Foaly felt a painful tug at the end of his tail. "AHHHHHGHHHHHHHHH….." He yelled in pain.  
  
Holly turned around to face a Mud Man who was holding Foaly's tail being dragged as Foaly galloped on and on. "Hold on, Foaly, I'll get him off." She pulled out a gun and aimed it carefully at the poor Mud Man who was being dragged and hitting against all the trees and rocks and animals they passed. "I'll shoot."  
  
The Mud Man's eyes widened with fear and shook his head. "You wouldn't."  
  
"I dunno … I am the "crazy girly captain", my nickname back in the Lower Elements." She flashed him a grin.  
  
The Mud Man hung on for a few seconds, but that was it. He quickly let go, rolled over a few times, crashed into a tree and rolled back the opposite way, and landed lying down in the dirt. Holly winked at him, and turned her head forwards.  
  
"Thanks, Holly."  
  
"No problem," Holly looked back again, seeing that no one was following them now. "Why don't we look for our friends now?"  
  
"Roger that."  
  
"Foaly, we aren't in a ship, or Operations Booth in your case."  
  
"Well, I'd rather pretend we are instead of pretending we're prancing around in a circus."  
  
"Okay, play time is over, I see our Commander over there …" Holly pointed to the right.  
  
Commander Root spotted her on Foaly. As much as he wanted to crack a joke, he knew that there just wasn't any time. "SHORT, FOALY, GET TO THE SHORE AND GET ON THE SHIPS! GET EVERYONE ELSE, AND THEN GET ME! GO NOW! THAT'S A DIRECT ORDER!" He didn't hear the Mud Man with the huge rock in his hands approach him from behind.  
  
"Julius! Look out!" Foaly called, but it was too late. The Mud Man dropped the rock right above Root's head and Root fell to the ground like a melting ice cream cone.  
  
"Foaly, go around where Root is!" Holly instructed. Foaly decided not to question her. If she told him to do something, she usually had a plan, and even if it did cause a little damage, it usually worked. Holly jumped off of Foaly and tumbled and stood up in front of the Mud Man who knocked out Root. The Mud Man smugly smirked at her, thinking that he could "beat her up" quite easily because she was a /girl/, but he never met Holly, so and there's a first for everything. Holly grabbed his shirt and lifted him up. She threw him against a tree, and knocked him unconscious. She picked up Root (she struggled… a lot) and after a while, she got him on Foaly, he was kind of waking up, but he was still in the dream zone. "Foaly, you take him to the ship, I'll find another way to get there."  
  
"But the Commander had direct orders! He'd be on our heads if we disobey them!"  
  
"And how many times have I done that before? Just do it. He unconscious. He probably won't even remember. He's hurt anyway." Holly argued.  
  
"Well … I would still rather carry you then him. One person is a lot more easier than two."  
  
Holly just rolled her eyes. "Just get him to the ship."  
  
"I will." Foaly nodded. "And Holly?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Be careful."  
  
"Aren't I always."  
  
"No really, be careful."  
  
Holly saw Foaly as she had never saw him before. "I will." She finally answered. And the two separated in different directions. Holly took a remote control from her waist and pressed the button. Out came the motorbike, she hopped on, and set the controls, and flew away.  
  
"Juliet, look behind you!" Mr. Fowl called to Juliet when he saw a man behind her about to attack her from behind.  
  
Juliet turned around just in time and uppercutted him in the stomach. He poked him in the eyes and kicked him away. However, she wasn't finished and her wrestling and fighting skills were yet to be tested. Six more men surrounded the two and they were ready to fight.  
  
"The man is handicapped." One of said in a Russian accent, grinning. "He will be an easy target."  
  
"And the other is just a girl." Another mocked. "We have a very easy day."  
  
Three surrounded Mr. Fowl and three surrounded Juliet. Juliet kicked and punched one of them away, pushed another into a tree after jabbing him in the stomach and then flipped one of them over and kicked him away. Mr. Fowl, on the other hand, took two men at the same time; one in each of his hands held them high and threw them to the ground. The other, just ran away in fear.  
  
"Hey, where did you learn to do that?" Juliet grinned. "Was it supposed to be in my training?"  
  
"No, after I lost my leg, my arms grew stronger because I did a lot with my arms. That trick…" Mr. Fowl chuckled. "Well the time I spent watching the Mafiya, I learned a few tricks myself …"  
  
Juliet laughed as Mr. Fowl got out his own remote control and pressed the button. The motorbike was activated and the two hopped on it and flew it away.  
  
Trouble Kelp did not hear Agent Z sneak behind him and follow him. So it was a surprise when he felt a tight grip around his neck that began to choke him. But Trouble went through this training before. He took the grip and struggled to get it off his neck. He back kicked Agent Z from behind and Agent Z's grip released.  
  
"I guess that /was/ what I expected from you." Agent Z sneered circling Trouble. "You are the most "gung-ho" agent in LEP, a skilled soldier, and excellent leader. However, I think I can better you now."  
  
"Who are you and what makes you think you can talk to me as if you /are/ better than me?" Trouble scoffed.  
  
"Trouble, I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. I cannot wait to watch you lie defeated after I'm through with you." He grinned evilly.  
  
"You wish." Trouble glared.  
  
But he couldn't say anything more. Agent Z jumped on top of Trouble, wrestling him to the floor. They rolled around punching each other fiercely and trying to choke each other. And then, Agent Z pulled out a knife. He tried to pierce it through Trouble's shoulder, but Trouble kept dodging it by moving left and right. He grabbed Agent Z's hands and forced them away from him, but he struggled a lot. Agent Z was quite strong, though Trouble was taller than him. But Trouble was stronger than him as well. He kicked him off and Trouble stood up, though panting and out of breath.  
  
Agent Z was furious. He rammed himself into Trouble slamming Trouble against a tree. Trouble tried to get Agent Z off of him but Agent Z picked up Trouble and kept on throwing him to the ground. There was a steep hill nearby… with rocks at the bottom. Trouble was too weak to fight anymore. He was bruised, scratched, bleeding, and in pain, closing his eyes. Agent Z grinned evilly as he picked up Trouble once again… the last time … and dropped him to the rocks.  
  
But Trouble never felt the rocks stab into his body. Instead, he felt warm hands catch him and then he felt himself on something hard. He opened his eyes a little to see Holly on her motorbike holding him. She placed him right behind her. "Hold on to me." She instructed and began to fly away and left Agent Z cursing.  
  
Holly caught sight of Chix on his motorbike, Mr. Fowl and Juliet on theirs, in the air and Root on Foaly just below them. "Chix!" She called out to him. "Do you see Foaly and Root down there?"  
  
"Yeah …" But Chix wasn't really paying attention to them. He was paying attention to Trouble arms that were around Holly.  
  
"Help Foaly out. Get Root and fly to shore." Holly ordered.  
  
"Okay." Chix flew the motorbike down to where Foaly was. Foaly stopped and Root weakly sat on Chix's motorbike. "Uh… Commander? What happened to your head?" Chix stared at the bump that the rock had given Root.  
  
"Just shut up, Verbil." Root grumbled.  
  
"Okay, Verbil." Foaly began. "Get Root to the ship."  
  
Holly flew down with her motorbike. " What about you? I've looked at the distance to the shore, and it's almost a mile from here."  
  
"Just leave me." Foaly started, but he had fear in his eyes. "I'll get there … somehow."  
  
"What if they get you before you get to the ship?"  
  
"That's a risk …" Foaly murmured. "That I will have to take."  
  
Holly just glared at him. "Foaly, we leave no one behind. That's a fact. We're all in this together. We'll find a way."  
  
"We don't have to." Mr. Fowl announced as he landed the motorbike next to theirs. "I have one. Commander Root, please take out the blanket that Foaly stuck in your belt." Root pulled it out. He handed it to Mr. Fowl and he began unfolding it. "Juliet, put the motorbike directly in line to Holly's, but maybe about ten feet away from it." Juliet did as she was told. "If we attach the blanket to each motor bike, we can carry Foaly up with them, just like a horse or another animal is carried.  
  
"I refuse to be treated like a horse! I already was today! Once is enough!" Foaly yelled.  
  
"What other choice do you have?" Chix mumbled.  
  
Foaly groaned as he looked at the two motorbikes and the blanket. He could tell that Root was smiling, and he was enjoying every bit of Foaly's suffering.  
  
Chix was steering the ship instead of Holly this time. Foaly had to go on the other ship with Root so he could help Root with his "bump". Mr. Fowl was on the other ship as well, steering it. Juliet was with Holly, Chix, and Trouble. Holly had to help Trouble with his injuries as well. When that was over, they switched to the regular pilots and started flying to the E148.  
  
"I just don't understand it though." Holly sighed. "Why did Artemis send us here? Why here to a meeting? Why didn't he just send us to where he was being held captive?"  
  
"I know it's hard for you having him kidnapped and all." Trouble put his arm around her. "But he probably meant it for the best. He probably knew that it was valuable information for us to learn. He'll tell us where he is. And we'll find him, and if we all can't, then I will."  
  
She rolled her eyes but smiled as she still focused on steering the ship. "Really?"  
  
"I promise."  
  
But then Holly's "cell phone" began to beep. Trouble answered it and saw that it was a text message. He began to read it off to her.  
  
HVN WILL BE ATTCKD. GO BCK IMMDTLY. HRRY, HVY DSTRCTN PLNND.  
  
ARTMS FWL  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The caped fairy shook his head as he sat down at his desk. Their standing opposite him was Agent Z. "Who escaped?" He questioned, already disappointed at the news of no capture. "Who was there?"  
  
"Well …" Agent Z began. "There was of course Commander Root, Captain Kelp, Foaly, Juliet Butler, Artemis Fowl Senior, Private Chix Verbil, and… oh yeah … Captain Short."  
  
The fairy's eyes widened with madness. He grabbed Agent Z's shirt and pulled him, nearly choking him. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?"  
  
"Captain Short?"  
  
"CAPTAIN SHORT WAS THERE? WHERE?! WHO WAS SHE?"  
  
"The one with the long auburn hair."  
  
"DIDN'T SHE HAVE A DAMN CREW CUT?"  
  
"Well … she did …"  
  
The caped fairy just yelled in fury for the rest of the night, and even some fairies from the Lower Elements swear that they heard it from there.  
  
**Yay! It did! Well, I hope you like this chap!**  
  
**Plz review!**  
  
**Kree** 


	6. Chapter Four: Don't Look Into His Eyes

**A special note to Seirios: Of course I know Briar Cudgeon is "dead", but if he was to be in my story, wouldn't I have the artistic license to use him?**  
  
**Okay, I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. It has about the same amount of action as the last chapter**  
  
**Kree**  
  
"Let's go! Let's go!" Root ordered as everyone rushed into the E148. "Short, don't worry about Mud Man-"  
  
"Ahem?" Juliet cleared her throat.  
  
"Short, don't worry about Mud Man and /Woman/ vomit this time." Root corrected himself with a bit of a glare. "Ride this slammer as fast as it can go! Strap on quickly, everyone!"  
  
Captain Kelp quickly helped Foaly strap on this time instead of Holly. Holly began starting up the engines and was ready to go. Everyone else strapped themselves in as Captain Kelp sat down last to strap himself down.  
  
"Let's take this baby for a ride!" She shouted as she pulled back the controls and began the start of a flying/vomiting roller coaster ride.  
  
There was no one in the building. No one waiting on line, no one patrolling, and no one waiting for them. They all stepped out of the shute, a bit dizzy, but still able to stand and walk. Captain Kelp did a quick scan of the area as Juliet and Mr. Fowl looked outside the window.  
  
"They're . they're all outside." He concluded.  
  
"And now I know why ." Mr. Fowl muttered. Everyone else hurried to he window and each one's eyes widened.  
  
If Mud Men weren't trouble enough than what was? About a hundred or more armed Mud Men chased after the citizens of the Lower Elements as if it was some sort of hunting sport. Each man with evil gleams of malice in their eyes, only with greedy thoughts of gold. They were mesmerized of course, but their desire for gold was most of their commitment as well. They grabbed the women and children sending most of the male fairies running back to save their wives, sons, and daughters. They began slaughtering some as if they were wild animals. They captured some and placed them in cages.  
  
But if it wasn't enough to see Mud Men attacking their home . they saw fairies attacking. Fairies armed, shooting at their own kind, grabbing each other as if they were the worst of enemies. Some of them were even former LEP agents. Root, Trouble, Holly, and Foaly watched in horror as some of the fairies they knew very well flew in the air tackling the people who they once had to protect.  
  
The LEP team was fighting them. Squads were everywhere, some fighting against the Mud Men, some fighting against the fairies, and some were helping the citizens get to safety. Of course they were missing their best agents as well. And some . were fighting the troll who was trampling the buildings.  
  
The troll was larger than any other they had seen before. It was full grown, but it was bigger than any "big" troll they had faced before. He stood fifteen stories high, hovering above screaming citizens who were running for their lives. Only. some . LEP agents stayed to fight the terrorizing beast.  
  
"Looks like LEP needs our help ." Root grumbled staring out the window. "Captain Kelp, go out and lead your squad. They need you out there."  
  
"Yessir." He saluted and ran out the building.  
  
"Mr. Fowl, Juliet; fight your own kind; leave the fairies to us." Root ordered. "You don't need to have mercy on them. After this is over, we'll have them mind wiped and fixed up, so feel free to give them any injury that is necessary."  
  
"Yes . sir ." Juliet tried to keep back from giggling. And they quickly ran out the doors.  
  
"Captain Short and Private Verbil, you can take on the troll." Root instructed next.  
  
"You must be joking ." Holly groaned. "You know what happened before when I faced the troll! I cause a lot of damage!"  
  
"Well this time, Short, I don't care how much damage you do. Just as long as nobody gets hurt." He smirked. "NOW GO!"  
  
"Yessir." She murmured and she motioned Chix to follow her out the doors.  
  
Foaly looked at them and he groaned. "Can't I go with them, Commander?"  
  
"Why, you don't want to be with your good ole' commander?" Root grinned.  
  
"Actually .. No ."  
  
"Come on, Foaly . we fight the fairies ." Root led.  
  
Foaly took one glance out the window. There was fighting to be done, and it was his first time at it. He looked back at his grinning Commander. "Yessir." He finally grumbled, with a weak salute.  
  
And then they both ran out into the battle and the fall of fraternity.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Let's go attack that building over there!" Shouted a Mud Man as he led his squad toward a moderately large six-story building. "Looks like that one has some trouble with the evacuation system."  
  
"Should we go help 'em?" Another Mud Man smugly snickered.  
  
"But I thought we were supposed to kill or capture them?" One of them asked, confused.  
  
"You idiot! We aren't really going to help them. God! Can't you understand a joke?"  
  
"I am working with imbeciles!"  
  
"Well I am working with idiots!"  
  
"But those are the same things!'  
  
"Oh . well . anyway . I am going to get the most gold!"  
  
"No, I am!"  
  
"Wait, where is Agent Kagel?"  
  
"I don't know." The first Mud Man shrugged. "I guess he already started attacking. Anyway, let's move men!"  
  
"I don't think that will be on your agenda any longer." A voice called out to them.  
  
Two Mud Men started looking back, but it was too late. Juliet jumped on top of both of them, knocking them out immediately. Quicker than any other person could turn around and see what was happening. Juliet punched two others at the same time, knocking them out as well.  
  
By that time, they started looking back.  
  
"Hey, what have we got here?" The first Mud Man started circling Juliet.  
  
She quickly kicked in the place that hurts a man the most. He started yelping and pain so she kicked him in the shins to make him fall to the ground.  
  
"We've got a rat in a trap." Another Mud Man sneered and they all began cornering Juliet.  
  
Juliet held her hands up in defense, but no need for that anyway. Another figure jumped on two of the five men surrounding her. They knocked over another Mud Man and the figure kicked another. He straightened himself up, and then punched the guy who was coming up from behind him.  
  
"Mr. Fowl." She grinned. "I was wondering whether or not I should have waited up for you."  
  
"Well," he grinned back. "I was wondering whether or not if there's a guy behind me." And then he back kicked another man who was sneaking up behind him. "Come on, Juliet. I do believe we have some work to do."  
  
The two ran ahead to find themselves face to face with another Mud Man squad.  
  
"Are those two fairies?" The leader asked one of the squad members.  
  
"I don't know, but get them anyway." He answered.  
  
They both started charging at them, with all worried and bit frightened because they showed no signs of slowing down. Juliet and Artemis Fowl Senior body slammed against two of them that knocked a few more men to the ground, like the effect of dominos.  
  
"You'd think that they would of given us guns, and not kept the guns for themselves." Juliet said as she fought off some of the Mud Men who were trying to tackle her.  
  
"We'll manage." Mr. Fowl replied.  
  
Juliet glanced to her side at Mr. Fowl and saw that a Mud Man was sneaking up on him. "Mr. Fowl! Behind you!" But his reaction was too late. The man wrapped his arms around Mr. Fowl's neck and began strangling him. Juliet ran up to Mr. Fowl's attacker and kicked him in the back and punched him in the nose. Then she gave the attacker just enough time to fall to the ground before kicking him over once with her foot.  
  
"Thanks Juliet."  
  
"It's my duty. Don't mention it."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Root and Foaly stealthily followed a group of fairies who were chasing after crowds and crowds of other fairies. Root could hardly believe his eyes. Some of the fairies who were chasing the crowds were agents that he himself had worked with before. He would have almost hesitated, but he knew that there was no time to go soft. He was Commander, and he had a job to do.  
  
"Do you have a plan, Commander?" Foaly asked as they snuck up behind the fairies.  
  
"Of course I have a plan. I'm commander." Root answered hesitantly.  
  
Foaly rolled his eyes. "I see. I'm sure I'll be very confident that I can trust you."  
  
"Okay, I'm working on it!" Root scowled and yelled a bit too loudly. Loud enough that a few of the fairies who were too busy chasing crowds to hear them and turn around.  
  
"It's the Commander!" Exclaimed a now "former" lieutenant.  
  
"What should we do?"  
  
"Well, Agent Z ordered that we capture the Commander and the centaur." One said. "Let's obey his orders ."  
  
Would Root let them obey any other than himself? Certainly not. Root grabbed the one who just spoke, held him up in the air and tossed to the ground as if he were a doll. More of the fairies stopped to help fight against the Commander, all armed, but they weren't quick enough to use their arms. Root body slammed them against the wall; and tossed some more fairies to the ground.  
  
He took out his Neutrino and began shooting some fairies down. Not the prettiest sight and it was making Root feel guilty about shooting his own kind down.  
  
Some of the others were too frightened of Root. They decided to stick with fighting the centaur. First, Foaly was a bit worried. no magic in his veins. but his mother gave him hooves. and hooves come with advantages. He reared them up like a horse and brought them down on a few fairies and they fell to the floor. He didn't waste his time to trample them and he wasn't that brutal. He kicked them away with his hooves.  
  
Foaly couldn't believe he was actually fighting. He was mostly in the Operation Booth working on his computers. but now. the genius centaur was working out a sweat?  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Let's go, now!" Captain Trouble Kelp yelled. He led his squad out into Haven ordering groups to go left, go right, go to different areas to fight against the invaders. "We will not stop until we have all of these filthy creeps out of here!" Trouble watched and made sure each squad covered an area. He scanned the area and then switched on the communicator. "Opal, are you there?"  
  
"Where else do you think I'd be?" Retorted her voice in his helmet.  
  
"Opal, are there any areas that need to be covered?"  
  
"Uh . let's see. no. not really. they seem to be well covered. but there is a strange looking guy with a black trenchcoat and a green turtle neck coming up your way." She replied.  
  
"D'arvit!" Captain Kelp swore.  
  
"I'm guessing he's a friendly acquaintance?"  
  
"Very friendly. He tried to murder me."  
  
"Ah, nothing but settling your differences with someone by murdering them."  
  
"Hey, I bet you felt the same way with Cudgeon."  
  
She shut up.  
  
Trouble glanced around looking for his nemesis. He spotted him flying towards him with the newest model of Hummingbird wings. Trouble glared at him, and started up his own wings. He flew toward him and they faced each other; it was hard to tell which face showed more hatred.  
  
"I do believe that we still have something to finish." Agent Z snickered,  
  
"Yes, I still owe you a lot." Trouble sneered.  
  
"Let the games begin."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Holly watched and shook her head as she watched some LEP officers run away in fear from the troll. She couldn't believe after all the LEP training they had been through, they wouldn't run a troll procedure. "Men." She shook her head.  
  
"D'arvit, how are we going to do this?" Chix swore as he and Holly glanced at the troll crashing into buildings as they crumbled to the dust.  
  
"Try as least as possible to swear on the job. then again. we do have some perfect executive examples." Holly rolled her eyes thinking of the commander. "Now, be quiet, I'm trying to think of a plan." She concentrated on the troll, watching it's every move, also, seeing that she had to think quickly, because it was causing more and more damage. Then again, Root did say he didn't care how much damage there was, but that didn't stop her from her instinct of keeping the damage cost low, though it hardly ever applied to her.  
  
"I have a plan." Holly finally announced. "Chix, fly around his face and distract him."  
  
"Are you crazy?" Chix was flabbergasted. "You -you want me? M-me to distract a fifteen story troll?"  
  
"Looks like the women charmer his frightened?"  
  
"Of course not." Chix retorted. "All right. I will go . and what will /you/ do?"  
  
"I, will take that rope over there," Holly pointed to some rope that she had spotted earlier that was lying on the ground. "And tie it around the troll's legs. Than, when it will try to move forward, it will fall and there we go. All done. Stun it a lot."  
  
"Okay." Chix gulped. "Here I go."  
  
"Hey Chix?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Good luck."  
  
"You too, Holly." Chix replied and he flew swiftly until he was right in front of the troll's face. The troll was startled and at first just started to stare at Chix. "Hey you big slimeball!" Chix yelled into his face. "I bet you can't get me!"  
  
The troll began to growl and took its huge greasy hand and began to try to swat Chix. Chix began to dodge them, but each time the troll swatted him, it seemed to feel like the last time he would try and its hand would hit Chix. As Holly watched with fear, she snapped out of it. She had a job to do still. She ran over to the rope, picked up, and put it into the air like a lasso. Holly began running towards the troll's humongous feet. She unraveled the rope and flew around one of the troll's legs and tied it into a knot. She then flew quickly around both of the troll's feet with the rope in her hands. She gave it a big tug on the rope when it was running short.  
  
The troll scowled and began to growl when he saw that its feet were tied together. However, as stupid as trolls were, it didn't attempt to move, so he didn't fall. He spotted Holly, and then, he grabbed her with its hand.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Agent Z tried to start out the end of Trouble with a gun. He pulled out a Protonion XI and tried to shoot Trouble. Trouble dodged them all quickly, all of them missing him just by an inch. Agent Z kept on firing and firing the "bullets" as fast as he could but soon he ran out of them. He tossed the gun to the ground.  
  
"I suppose we'll just settle this like before?" Agent Z snickered.  
  
"I suppose so." Captain Kelp retorted  
  
Agent Z tried to ram himself into Trouble, but ended up ramming himself into the air. Trouble flew under him and behind him. He kicked him in the back and then gave him another quick punch. Agent Z began to fly upward as Trouble began to follow him close behind. Trouble gave him a quick jab to the stomach and an uppercut to the chin.  
  
Agent Z put a hand to his chin. "Well. looks like we've gotten tougher, have we?"  
  
"You think that's tough?" Trouble raised an eyebrow. "Well, it looks like you're going to have a ball of time if you thought THAT was tough."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Julius!" Foaly yelled frantically. "Holly!"  
  
"This is no time for Holly!" Commander Root shouted back at him as he shot another fairy.  
  
"But, Commander! The troll has her in its grasp!"  
  
"We're all in its grasp! It's destroying Haven!"  
  
"No, I mean, it's crushing her in its fist!"  
  
Root turned around and saw the troll with its fist in the air. wrapped around Holly.  
  
"Pull out your gun, Foaly!" Root yelled louder than ever before. "And aim it at the damn troll and don't miss!" Then he switched his communicator to Chix Verbil. "Verbil! Stun that troll now!"  
  
"Yessir!" replied Chix's voice abruptly.  
  
Foaly trembled as he pulled out a gun. After making different models for so long, after assigning them to agents, never in his whole entire life. had he ever used a gun. "Well, at least the target's big enough. It would be pretty sad if I missed that thing."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Holly's scream of pain was the only thing that Captain Kelp heard.  
  
Trouble abruptly turned around and fear and horror crept into his eyes as he saw Holly in the troll's fist. "Holly! Oh my God!"  
  
All of a sudden, Trouble felt a sudden pain his back. He was forced forward a bit and cried out in pain. He looked behind him and saw that Agent Z had taken advantage of Trouble's distraction and attacked him. But Trouble knew that he couldn't waste his time fighting this guy right now. He had to stun that troll. He aimed his gun at the troll and fired.  
  
Root fired.  
  
Foaly fired.  
  
Chix fired.  
  
Have you ever heard the roar of a troll before? Well, its cry of pain was more terrifying, more horrifying, more LOUD than anything a roar could do. It dropped Holly to the ground before it could think twice. well it couldn't actually think.. Okay. it dropped Holly to the ground. Holly landed a bit hardly, but nothing that serious. She had learned to land from falling off from high places a long time ago. The troll began to fall into a building. It fell right on top of it. crumbling the building's structure. It began to fall on.  
  
Holly.  
  
"Holly!!!" Trouble screamed in his head. He flew to her like a bolt of lightening; she was the only person in his sight. She was the only thing that his eyes were focused on. He swept her from the ground, carrying her high above the air as the troll fell to the ground with a large rumble that the Mud Men and Women above thought it was an earthquake.  
  
"Holly. are you okay?" Trouble asked her as held her close to him in his arms.  
  
"I-I'm fine. thanks to you ." Holly stammered as she looked into his deep soft and kind hazel eyes that were full of worry. She looked away quickly.  
  
"Looks like you haven't changed a bit, Trouble." Sneered a loud voice from afar. Trouble turned around to face Agent Z who wore an evil grin on his face. "You still have your soft feelings for her."  
  
Holly couldn't help but notice Trouble turn a bit red. "What do you mean?" Trouble retorted with more of a shout.  
  
Agent Z just laughed wickedly. "She really means that much to you, doesn't she? Years ago you felt the same way. Have you told her yet? Or are you scared of the reaction?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Trouble questioned.  
  
"Oh, so now we're playing the question game?" He laughed again as Trouble turned around and was about to fly back down. "I don't want to waste any more moments of my life right now, so, I'll see ya later, Trub." Agent Z pulled out a Neutrino and aimed it for Trouble's back.  
  
The pain was unbearable with a twist of a scorch and a freeze when it hit Trouble. He couldn't keep hold of his consciousness. He closed eyes and began to feel intolerable weak as he felt Holly slipping. He wanted to open his eyes and keep her safe. but he couldn't exactly wake up.  
  
Holly held him up and took him back down to the ground to where Foaly is. She couldn't help but show indignation and fury in her eyes and her voice. "Foaly.take care of him. I have some "taking care of" to do right now." She muttered. She flew back up to where Agent Z and glared at him.  
  
"Oh, so now his girlfriend wants to fight for poor Trubby Wubby?" Agent Z taunted.  
  
"You're really asking for it, you do know that?"  
  
"Oh, you think?"  
  
Holly scowled, but she had a plan. She turned her back and Agent Z was surprised because he was expecting a fight. But she swiftly flew under him and then kicked him in the back. He turned around to face her, but she punched him in the nose and then kicked him in the place where she knew it would hurt.  
  
Now it was Agent Z's turn to scowl, but then it turned into a grin. Of course, Holly couldn't let him grin for long. She tried to uppercut his chin, but Agent Z caught her hand. He pulled her close to him and then pulled out some kind of gun with a fluid in it. It had a long needle. He stabbed it into her neck and pulled the trigger.pushing the liquid into her neck. She instantly began to feel sleepy. She tried to shout but no sound from her throat was released. She wanted to stay awake, she struggled so hard but all she could feel was Agent Z holding her up and her eyelids growing heavier and heavier.  
  
"What the hell did he want?" She questioned in her head. "What is he going to do with me?"  
  
"HOLLY!!!" Chix yelled flying toward him furiously but Agent Z dove down below with Holly and went to the E1's entrance. He flashed an evil grin as the elevator doors shut him and Holly and they started going up.  
  
**THIS CHAPTER IS FINALLY FINISHED!!!! Okay, I hoped you liked it ^.^*  
  
**plz review!**  
  
**Kree Sever** 


	7. Chapter Five: Ordering Around

**Finally, I'm working on this story again. I'm so wrapped up with my other ones.I want to write this one though..**  
  
**Dun dun dun!!!! Well in this chapter, you figure out who is the head honcho of the "bad guys", though I think most people already get the idea who it is.. But we'll find out who Agent Z really is later on in the story. Much later on, I plan on it.**  
  
**We also see.. Artemis!! And also some romance.oo la la.**  
  
**Enjoy the chap anyway, I'm kind of improvising at this point**  
  
**Kree**  
  
Holly tried to lift up her head and look around but instantly, a shocking pain jolted up from her neck to the rest of her body. She cried out in pain and her head dropped to the ground with a soft thud. She put her trembling hand to her neck and felt a little hole in her skin. She remembered that that guy had injected some kind of sleeping potion into her. She groaned when she tried to lift her head up again and the pain jolted her again. She lay down on the ground, wondering if her magic was beginning to heal her soon and where she was.  
  
It was a dungeon, that was for sure, and it was pretty obvious. It wasn't like the Fowl's prison for her: this one looked like the traditional prison, dark, cold, surrounded with bars, hay on one side, rats crawling from side to side, bugs scattering here and there.  
  
That strange assistant of the caped fairy they saw at Kauai kidnapped her. So that was probably who had her kidnapped. But why would he want /her/? What importance did she hold to their plan? All these thought kept on pouring and pounding in Holly's mind.  
  
The strange thing was that the assistant seemed to know Trouble Kelp very well for some reason. But how? Who was this fairy and why did he constantly go after Trouble?  
  
But for once, she felt herself incredibly tired again. She closed her eyelids again. She knew she was losing conciseness again, but she couldn't fight back. She found that she didn't want to. So she fell asleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"The potion worked well on her," the caped fairy circled around Holly. "Almost too well, let's hope it doesn't kill her."  
  
"Yes, it would be a pity." Agent Z sniggered as he stood beside the caped fairy.  
  
Holly's tipped ears perked up. She blinked her eyes a little, trying to look around as much as she could without letting whoever was talking hear her. She saw shadows over her, so she closed her eyes again, and began to listen to the voices.  
  
"Besides ruining the plan..the Fowl boy wouldn't take her death too well." The caped fairy laughed.  
  
At the sound of that name, Holly could no longer fake it. Fury burned in every muscle in her body and especially in her eyes. Instead of jolts of pain when she jumped up and grabbed the caped fairy, jolts of strength shot through her. "WHAT HAVE YOU DO WITH ARTEMIS??? WHERE IS HE?????" She roared furiously. He only grinned at her, only annoying her, so she wrung her arms around his neck and began to strangle him for his silence. "WHERE IS ARTEMIS?"  
  
The caped fairy took his hands and just placed them on her arms. Right there, Holly felt as if her arms were being burned with scorches of electricity and she saw green sparks jolting out of his hands. She cried out in pain and fell to the ground. She looked up at the caped fairy trembling, not with fear, but with pain.  
  
"Where.how.what kind of magic is this?" She stammered, shaking her head in amazement.  
  
"I was quite fortunate to meet an amazing sprite who happened to be a descendant of the great Morgan Le Fay." He started.  
  
"Morgan Le Fay?" Holly snickered. "Morgan Le Fay was a /human/. So what of her powers?"  
  
"Maybe I need to prove to you my powers so you will believe me." He held his hands out again with green light gleaming from them. He aimed his hands straight at Holly and the light streamed out like lasers and struck Holly. Burning hot pain scorched her chest and she couldn't help but scream. He held the beams of light at her for a few seconds and then stopped. "Now, was that a convincing demonstration?"  
  
Holly didn't want to admit it, so she didn't and she kept panting. "So . what happened with the sprite?"  
  
"Well I simply lied to her. I said that I had many connections and armies to complete my mission. I asked for a bit of power and offered her a high position when I succeeded. Instead, I just drained her of all her powers and left her there to rot." He grinned maliciously.  
  
" So, what's your mission? World domination?" She sneered at him.  
  
"Precisely." He replied. "My, my, you seem to know your place as captured prisoner very well. I'm not surprised."  
  
"Not to sound cliché or something, but that's just ridiculous and you're not gonna get away with it." Holly remembered Foaly telling her of his conversation with Cudgeon before. "Now I do believe, you haven't answered my question before, where is Artemis?" She asked flatly.  
  
"The Fowl boy?" He scoffed. "You would like to see Mr. Fowl? Agent Z, bring him in!"  
  
Agent Z nodded as he walked off to the left. After a few moments, he came back, dragging an eighteen year old she recognized by his legs. He had jet black hair and slightly darker skin than a pale color. He had dark eyes and ropes were tied around his mouth. In fact, his entire body was almost tied in ropes. His white shirt was torn and so was his black jacket. His black pants were almost shredded and his boots were worn, he looked up at Holly and his eyes widened and were blurring. He couldn't talk though.  
  
"In fact, maybe Fowl and Short should stay together." The caped fairy sniggered. "Do tell us, Mr. Fowl, how much have you enjoyed your stay here?" He pointed a finger to his mouth and instantly, the ropes around his mouth disappeared.  
  
"Holly!" He yelled, his voice sounded hoarse as if he hadn't used it for awhile. "Holly, God..it's so good to see you again." He smiled and then he glared at Agent Z and the caped fairy. "Both of you, I want you to-"  
  
But he couldn't say any more. The caped fairy pointed a finger and the cordlike snakes flew out of his finger and around Artemis's mouth. "It's time that you learn to watch your mouth, Fowl!" The caped fairy yelled furiously. He held his palms out as Holly's eyes as she ran over to Artemis holding him close to her, as he trembled in her arms. She wiped away the blood that dripped down his face and ran her fingers through his soft hair. His shirt was torn even more, revealing a cut on his chest where the light hit him. She raised her hands above his chest and whispered, "heal." But nothing happened, no sparks or anything.  
  
"I'm sorry, Miss Short, but I can't allow you to use your powers." The caped fairy smugly smiled.  
  
She glared at them. "Who are you?"  
  
The caped fairy laughed malevolently. "Well, I'm sure you've met my right hand, Agent Z." He motioned to his side. Agent Z bowed with a smirk on his face. "But I. you already know me, Holly Short. we used to work together at LEP. I was a lieutenant there. soon to be head of the council and much higher than your sad excuse for a Commander." He murmured. "Who am I, Captain Short? I am Briar Cudgeon, soon to be known as your ruler of the world, above and under."  
  
Holly was flabbergasted. "Briar Cudgeon? Briar Cudgeon?" She looked confused. "But.. Briar Cudgeon is dead. the DNA cannons."  
  
"You think that that would be enough to kill me?" An evil twinkle in his eye gleamed. "Well it is true, I was near death when the LEP troops scanned the area. But when they found me, much after you and your little group left, I still had a bit of life in me. Just enough so that the LEP hospital workers took me in and brought me back to perfect health. Of course, they were planning to place me back in jail after that, but I escaped. And then I restored my powers, got some fairies and Mud Men to follow me, and then met the sprite, and now here we are!"  
  
"Well you obviously got a hold of the groce too." Holly observed.  
  
"How could I not? Everyone else was getting it."  
  
"But what about your face?" Holly started slowly. "It's.well.uh."  
  
"You didn't think that I wouldn't use the power I drained out of the sprite for my own cosmetic purposes?" He derided. "Of course I had my face healed and restored to it's own perfect, handsome, normal self."  
  
"As if it was perfect before." Holly lied. Okay, she knew it was a lie, but she thought she might as well attempt to piss him off.  
  
"Why don't I leave you to smooch with your lover.I have other things to attend to." Briar retorted as he turned around. "Come on, Agent Z, let them have their privacy."  
  
Agent Z smirked at them, and then turned around as well, and they both walked out of Holly's prison cell. [Look! I made a rhyme!!! Hehe..that was weird..]  
  
Holly's eyes focused on Artemis now. She placed her fingers on the ropes around his mouth and took them off. She untied the rest of the ropes that were holding Artemis captive and threw them violently at the wall. "Artemis." She spoke his name softly. "Are you all right?"  
  
"I'm fine.I've almost gotten used to it now." His eyes seemed to be shaking as he gazed at her. "How about you?"  
  
"Fine, I guess," and they both knew that they could hold it back no longer. They embraced, Artemis holding her close, wrapping his arms around her warmly, but tightly. For once, tears were streaming out of his eyes. This was an Artemis Holly had never seen before, but it didn't matter. She too, had tears running down her cheeks.  
  
He took a glance at Holly who's face was buried in his shoulder. "Well, now you're almost as tall as me!" He exclaimed jokingly.  
  
She smiled. "LEP wanted all it's agents to be the first to get their hands on the groce, and what do you know, I'm 5'6"."  
  
"But I'm still taller, just know that."  
  
"Maybe, but maybe I'll grow."  
  
"And maybe we'll have snow in August."  
  
"Oh, well you haven't changed."  
  
"Never do. Good thing for you." Artemis grinned.  
  
"Oh, I never said it wasn't a bad thing." Holly grinned back.  
  
He lifted up a strand of her hair. "You grew your hair?"  
  
She nodded. "I don't know, I just didn't cut it off in a while, I was so busy, and then it kind of looked nice, and I just got it trimmed. And you, still pale, and with your black hair, looks like you didn't do too much."  
  
"Oh, I've been busy. Planning world domination, robbing the world of it's ancient treasures, sucking up the ocean, blowing up the moon. you know, my kind of stuff." He said sarcastically.  
  
Holly changed the subject. "How long have you been here?"  
  
Artemis shrugged. "A week, at least, maybe even more. I woke up after being unconscious for awhile, so I don't know the exact time."  
  
"Where is Butler?" Holly suddenly asked.  
  
Artemis looked away. "Butler. I don't know. I think he's." He couldn't bring himself up to say it.  
  
Holly sighed. "Dead." She whispered to herself. "That bastard, Cudgeon." She mumbled. "What I'd do to wring my hands around his neck."  
  
"I could make that possible." Artemis replied.  
  
"What do you mean? With all his new power? We wouldn't get an inch away from Cudgeon without being blown away." She retorted.  
  
"You're forgetting the rules, Holly. With a human in the game, there are rules."  
  
Holly's eyes widened. "You mean-"  
  
"Briar still has to play by the Book. He can't ignore the rules, he's still a fairy. That's why he's always shutting me up." Artemis grumbled. "He knows I can tell him to do whatever he wants so he keeps me quiet before I can say anything."  
  
"So we just have to find some kind of way for you to order him around before he, well, does something?" Holly questioned.  
  
"Yup."  
  
"That's it? Wow, that's pretty simple."  
  
"The rules make it simple. Like I can tell you to, um, stand up."  
  
Holly rolled her eyes and she stood up, shaking her head at him, but with a smile. "Care to demonstrate more?"  
  
"Sit down." Artemis continued, grinning. And she sat down. "Stay still." And he went over to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close, face to face. "I could get Cudgeon on the ground if I got the chance, just with this simple rule, like this." He started. "Kiss me." He whispered softly.  
  
Holly looked surprised at first. She didn't know how she would respond to his order, but her lips sure did. She closed her eyes as she leaned in and kissed him. He returned the kiss and they held it for a long time. Artemis was definitely different, but she didn't care if it was for better or for worse. It was Artemis, and that's all that she really cared about.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Trouble Kelp woke up in the LEP's Hospital Building in a white bed. He blinked a few times, looking around, trying to recognize his surroundings. He saw Chix Verbil, Commander Root, Mr. Fowl, Juliet, and Foaly at his side. They all looked worried.  
  
"Agh," Trouble groaned. "Don't tell me I'm hurt again."  
  
"Sorry to break the news, but you're hurt again." Foaly shrugged.  
  
Trouble stared from face to face again and then realization hit him. "Holly. where is Holly?"  
  
"Holly." Mr. Fowl started.  
  
"WHERE IS HOLLY?" He demanded, trying to sit up, but an immediate pain in his chest shocked him.  
  
"Lay down," Juliet said gently. "You've broken a few ribs."  
  
"I broke some ribs? How?"  
  
"I don't know. don't ask me, Agent Z had metal fists?" Juliet replied.  
  
"Commander." Trouble glanced at Root. "What happened? What happened to Holly?"  
  
Commander Root sighed. "Captain Kelp, Holly has been kidnapped by Agent Z. It happened right after you were hit."  
  
"God no." Trouble gasped. "Where is she?"  
  
"Well, if we knew where she was, I doubt that all of us would be here right now." Chix retorted.  
  
"We're still looking, the Fowl boy hasn't sent us any messages, and even if he did, we'd have to hope that Holly doesn't have her cell phone thing or Fowl knows our address." Root explained. "We'll start once again when you've fully recovered."  
  
"Okay, now I'm recovered." Trouble tried to sit up again but the pain shocked him once again.  
  
"Lay down, Kelp, and that's an order!" Root shouted. "You are /not/ fully recovered and we will not start for at least until tomorrow."  
  
Trouble sighed. "It's my fault, isn't it? Holly would have never been kidnapped if it wasn't for me."  
  
"Trouble, stop being a dramatic." Foaly reassured him. "Maybe it's my fault. Maybe it's Juliet's fault. Maybe it's Mr. Fowl's fault. Maybe it's the commander's fault. Maybe it's Chix's fault. Maybe it's the whole damn world's fault!! It could have turned out differently, but it turned out as it is now. We'll just have to live with it. We will find Holly, that's all we know for sure."  
  
"For once, I agree with the centaur." Root rolled his eyes. "Kelp, get some rest. We'll try to trace Holly and find her location at Operations Booth with Opal. (Foaly groaned at the sound of her name). We'll see you later, Trouble."  
  
Trouble nodded as he watched them all walk out the door. He sighed again and closed his eyes. The magic was working and was healing him, but he could hardly feel it as he thought about Holly.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Miss Koboi, do you have any ideas how we can trace Holly?" Root questioned.  
  
"I would expect her to have any, it's /my/ technology. It's probably too complicated for her to handle." Foaly scoffed.  
  
Opal glared at him. "In fact, I do have an idea. Well, the guy that Trouble was fighting /is/ a fairy, right?"  
  
Root nodded. 'That's right, go on."  
  
"Well, I could track all the magical activity above ground. Sure, we'll pick up a lot of stuff we don't need, but sooner or later, something will come up." Opal explained.  
  
"That sounds good," Root started and glanced at Foaly. "See, Donkey Boy, looks like Miss Koboi can handle your technology after all."  
  
Foaly scowled and turned away with his arms crossed. Opal went on to annoy him. "I'll alert you if something suspicious turns up."  
  
"All right, thank you, Miss Koboi." Root replied. "Well be sure to lighten your sentence when this is over."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." She turned the swivel chair around so that she was facing the computers.  
  
"Come on." Root led. "Let's get some equipment ready."  
  
**Well, I know it's shorter than the other chapters, maybe not even as good, but I have to end the chapter here. Writer's Attic is soooooo annoying.**  
  
**Now for my comments to the reviewers for Chapter 5.**  
  
**To Freaky Girl: Thank you soooo much for reviewing throughout the story!! I really appreciate your support. And yup, it seems like /everyone/ likes Holly, doesn't it?**  
  
**To DragonQueen: Thanks for reviewing! I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!**  
  
**To Say: Thank you for the wonderful comments! I like comments..hehe.well.I hope the rest of the story will meet your expectations!**  
  
**To Stuart: Well, here's your next chapter! Though it will be a looooong time from now before this story finishes.**  
  
**Da-xia Nariko: No more cliffhanger!! Not in this chapter anyway. well here's what happens after the cliffhanger!**  
  
**Milo Thatch: Thanks for reviewing!**  
  
**To: Haryl/Reiin: Here's the next chap!**  
  
**To Ulita the Devine Authores: Yes! I have more!**  
  
**Plz review!**  
  
**Kree** 


	8. Chapter Six: Humor with Chickens and Pid...

**It's been a LONG time since I've updated this. . .what has it been, three months? I hope people haven't forgotten me . . . STUPID SCHOOL!!!!! I CAN HARDLY DO ANYTHING!!! AGH! Right now I am FORCING myslelf to stay in this chair, on the laptop and type this chapter. * gets the chains and chains myself ***  
  
**I have Writer's Attic right now . . . SO DON'T FLAME ME! PLZZZZZZ!!!!**  
  
**Okay, maybe you can flame me . . .freedom of speech . . . **  
  
**And yes, I am bringing MULCH DIGGUMS into the picture now, but don't think I'm just copying everyone else. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING I was planning to bring him into my story, and maybe it is a bit cliché, but things are much more interesting with Mulch . . .**  
  
**Holly's not the only one who's in for some romance . . . hehe . . ."  
  
**Hehe, I know it gets kind of irrelevant with Root getting tortured and all that, but it was fun.**  
  
**I dunno how long this chapter is gonna be.**  
  
**Enjoy anyway**  
  
**Kree**  
  
  
  
Foaly couldn't STAND waiting around until something happened so he decided to amuse himself with his system. Of course, Opal was still at Operations Booth, but he might as well go down and see how badly she was doing with HIS technology. He was still sore at her at what happened five years ago . . .  
  
So he stepped in through the door of Operations Booth and saw her typing and pulling up readings from magic sight tracings. She leaned back in the swivel chair, keeping her eyes on the screen. Foaly tried to sneak up behind her when-  
  
"Foaly, I know you're there. I saw you from the security cameras that were installed. Stop acting like stupid secret spy and get out." Opal sneered.  
  
Foaly made a face behind her back but he walked over to her, his hooves beating on the ground. "I suppose there is no progress?" He snickered.  
  
"Hey, it's not /my/ fault if the stupid fairies don't use their magic. I've been tracking every damn site of magic being used, and there is no HOLLY or ARTEMIS okay?" Opal shouted.  
  
"So? Maybe you've made a mistake! Maybe they were spotted but you just couldn't see them because you're a little fancy pixie!" Foaly taunted.  
  
"WELL MAYBE THEY'RE DAMN DEAD!" Opal yelled at him.  
  
And then, she left him having nothing to remark back . . . again . . . Not only was he just pissed off that she won once again, but that thought never struck him before. What if Holly . . . was dead? What if Artemis had been long dead too? He couldn't imagine Holly, one of his friends who he had been with for the longest time . . . dead? In his mind, there stood a picture of Holly, strong and confident and outgoing and he couldn't imagine her body broken . . .or bloody . . . . and he could hardly imagine the seventeen year old genius dead either.  
  
"Well, now you're silent, aren't you?" Opal sniggered.  
  
Foaly remained silent a little more and then turned to her. "Do you . . . you . . .really think that they could be dead?" He asked softly. "Dammit, why do I have to always act so weird around her?" He screamed in his head.  
  
"Oh . . ." Even a stuck up pixie like herself did have a heart and eventually did figure out what he was thinking. "Well, I meant it as a come back, okay? I really didn't mean it."  
  
"Oh." Foaly still didn't looked that convinced to her.  
  
"Oh come on, you actually didn't believe that, did you?" Opal tried to sound like her regular self. "Don't tell me Mister Genius Centaur believed an eency weency lie like that?" [how the hell do you spell eency weency?]  
  
"Well . . . just a little . . ." Foaly started. "But don't joke about serious matters like that, God, you get me so worked up."  
  
"Ooooh! I get Foaly worked up!" Opal gave a seducing smile. "But /you/ always joke around about /everything/."  
  
"Because /I/ have a legal license to joke, tease, and taunt anyone I want, any time I want, and about anything I want." Foaly grinned. "It's LEP thing."  
  
"If so, that means soon I'll have that license too."  
  
"Oh? Why do you say that?"  
  
"Because /I/ work for LEP now, remember?"  
  
"Oh yes, completely forgot about that." Foaly rolled his eyes. "I still can't over the fact that Ms. Koboi is dirtying her rich delicate fingers by working for LEP."  
  
"LEP work is dirty work?"  
  
"No, but if you work for LEP long enough, you'll get the fun stuff."  
  
Opal turned her head and looked at the monitors. "Hey look! There's ole' Root in the building. Root, Root, a root a toot toot."  
  
"I don't really give a foot." [in this, foot makes the same sound root does but without the "r " *grins*] Foaly grinned.  
  
Opal giggled a little.  
  
"Watch this," Foaly took control of the computers and began typing some codes in. He opened a folder called "Foaly's Files and then opened up some kind of program. As she saw more come onto the screen, she realized that it was a map of the entire building. "Okay, we won't hurt him /too/ badly." Foaly clicked on a stair case and it began moving backwards like an escalator. As Root slowly began walking up, the escalator brought him down and he landed on the floor on his behind.  
  
"OW!" Root yelled out as he rubbed his side and he tried to stand up.  
  
"Awesome!" Opal grinned. It was fun to see they guy who put you in jail land on his butt.  
  
"Now, let's switch around so me signs . . ." Foaly clicked an icon on the right and every sign in the entire building said something different now. They watched Root as he tried to direct himself through the building using the signs.  
  
"Is he stupid or something? I mean, shouldn't he memorize the way?" Opal asked.  
  
"Well, we always change the way to Operations Booth for uh- er security reasons." Foaly lied.  
  
"Meaning?"  
  
"I like to have fun watching him get lost all the time." Foaly shrugged.  
  
"How long have you been doing this?"  
  
"Not as long as I've been working here, but maybe a couple hundred years?"  
  
"And you don't get bored of it?"  
  
"Me? Never!" Foaly grinned again. "Oh look! He's going through some carpeted areas! We can trip him here!" Foaly typed in some more codes and Opal watched as it showed nearly invisible wire going across the hallways on the screen. They watched Root trip over the wires and watched him fall on his face this time. They broke out into laughter and then Foaly said, "okay, this is my /favorite/ one!" Foaly typed a very long password and they watched as-  
  
"Chickens?" Opal's jaw dropped. "Where did you get those things?"  
  
Foaly shrugged. "I dunno, but they're in the LEP storage and I always use em And then I add a pigeon too."  
  
They watched chickens run across the hall as Root looked back. He looked confused at first, but then, by the look on face, he seemed to be figuring out everything. But then, a look of fear took over. He turned around and watched as a pigeon swooped by and-  
  
SPLAT. [self explanatory]  
  
Opal never remembered giggling this much, even when she was with the completely evil Cudgeon. Foaly laughed warmly too, and he was even nicer to her than ever before. They were still laughing when-  
  
The door opened.  
  
And Root came in.  
  
"FOALY? WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Root yelled!  
  
The two looked at him again and the bird crap on his head, and started laughing.  
  
"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FINDING HOLLY AND ARTEMIS! NOT GOOFING OFF WITH PRANKS!"  
  
"I'm sorry, sir!" Foaly saluted. "I'll try to be nice next time and find a bird who's bladder is a bit smaller!"  
  
Opal giggled again, and caught Root's strange look. But . . . she saw that Foaly had smiled at her at the precise moment.  
  
~*~*`*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
Learning the ropes came easy for Holly, but having to listen to endless amounts of instructions and rules seemed pointless to her. Nevertheless, she had to, and for the first time, she had to use the rules to her advantage and not use the loophole. She sat on the cold prison floor listening to the rules, which was hard enough, but she still couldn't get used to the fact that /Artemis/ was explaining them. She already heard him say them once before, but they had to start over so they could clear their head for new ideas.  
  
"So, as you can apparently see, Cudgeon has grown stronger and more powerful than any other fairy in the universe." Artemis began.  
  
Holly rolled her eyes. She didn't like this charade one bit. "You don't have to state the obvious."  
  
"Sometimes I do to make more clear points in the process of thinking."  
  
"Okay, whatever, just get on with it."  
  
"But . . . he is still a fairy."  
  
"Yeah, so? He's still a fairy. Artemis, you're making it sound like being a fairy is a handicap."  
  
"Well, it kind of is, but not as a dis." Holly could see that Artemis's eyes twinkled with ideas. "After all, you fairies have to always listen to something called . .. the Book?"  
  
Holly had to admit that Artemis had come up with ingenious thinking. She nodded and began with a little more excitement, "so you're saying, that even though Cudgeon the Jerk is almighty powerful he still can't mesmer fairies, when it's game over, it's game over . . ."  
  
"And as long as the fairy is under the human habitat, they are under the human's order." Artemis interrupted. "And . . ." Artemis grinned a little. "We happen to be in an old noble's residence that I am distantly related to. If I order him around . . ."  
  
"Then, ta dum! Fairy in your order! But how are we going to keep him from shutting you up all the time?" She asked.  
  
"Well, that's what we have to plan. And we also have to remember and plan one more thing as well: What is going to be my first question?"  
  
Holly stood up. "Perhaps . . . I could keep Briar a bit busy when he enters the room." She grinned widely.  
  
He eyed her carefully, praying she wouldn't go the seductive way or the violent. "And how will you do that?"  
  
"Oh, I dunno." She said innocently. "I'll probably strangle him some. Maybe toss him from wall to wall a few. Then maybe I'll kick his-"  
  
"Okay, okay, I get the point, but how exactly are you going to that while avoiding his powers?" He questioned.  
  
"HEY! A TROLL WAS ABOUT TO SQUISH ME JUST BEFORE THIS! YOU THINK I CAN'T HANDLE SOME STUCK UP MALE FAIRY?" She retorted. "And besides, it's probably the best way. While I'm distracting Briar, you'll have more than enough time to give orders." She paused. "My injuries mean nothing to me."  
  
"But they do to me." Artemis replied softly. "There has to be another way."  
  
"Another way for what?" A mocking voice cackled as the prison door swung open. As Artemis saw Briar and Agent Z step into the prison cell, he hoped that they hadn't been spying on them.  
  
"Have you two prisoners been plotting?" Briar snickered. "I do hope that my prisoners will be cooperative and not rebel against me."  
  
"Of course not! What are you thinking? We wouldn't want to stuff you're body with dwarf coal and burn the fires of hell inside while crushing your body against boulders while every bone in your body crumbles to dust." Holly scoffed sarcastically.  
  
Artemis stared at her. Apparently, he had never heard her delightful interest in this kind of graphical descriptions. But he saw that Agent Z and Briar had an uneasy time comprehending this horrendous scene. Artemis took the silence to his advantage, and he searched his head for the right question to ask. "Briar and Agent Z, I want you to shut-" He tried to order quickly, but Agent Z saw that Artemis was speaking. Agent Z pointed a finger to Artemis's mouth a murmured, "shut up" and a beam of power blasted Artemis to the wall with more ropes bounding him in every possible way to stop him from moving . . . or talking.  
  
Briar grabbed Holly and pulled her close. "We will have to discuss your priorities soon . . .very soon, Short." And he pushed her to the floor beside Artemis even as she struggled to punch him. Both started for the door. "Don't even try to defy us, or plot against us, or even think of chances of escape." Briar began. "Because the only way you'll walk out of this cell if you're a servant of yours truly, or if you're walking towards your execution." He slammed the door behind him.  
  
Unlike Opal Koboi, Holly Short did not enjoy Briar Cudgeon's humor.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
"He-llo I got a reading." Foaly announced as he and Opal typed on the keyboards quickly. Root, Chix, Trouble, Artemis Fowl Senior, and Juliet were crowded around them as they waited impatiently.  
  
"Okay, Foaly and Opal, what is the location?" Root asked as he crossed his arms. Standing up for two hours did not do his legs any good.  
  
"Let's see, border of Ireland, a manor in . . . the countryside of Belfast . . .I'm getting a picture now of the last area of the last magical activity . . . . and . . . it's in a dungeon . . ."  
  
That sent a chill down Trouble spine. Dungeons were not a good sign, especially if Holly was in there. It was hard enough to bare the time when Holly was captured by Fowl and was locked in his dungeon. Trouble looked at the screen. "Holly, please be okay," he mouthed silently.  
  
"Get on with it," Root ordered.  
  
"Hold your horses, Julius, the pictures are coming."  
  
"Why hold my horses when I can kick a donkey?"  
  
"Ha ha, very amusing," Foaly rolled his eyes. "Anyway . . . I see two figures . . . it's Holly and Artemis!" Foaly exclaimed.  
  
Everyone was relieved but Trouble looked at the picture a bit more carefully. He saw Holly, sitting by Artemis's side. There were ropes to the side of them, and some ropes bound his legs and his hands. He watched Holly take them off as Artemis struggled to help. He saw the way Artemis looked at Holly, and immediately, quicker than Holly can pilot a slammer, flames of jealousy flickered in his eyes. He knew it. He could tell it from Artemis's eyes.  
  
Artemis loved Holly.  
  
"Hold on, let me take a look at the manor." Mr. Fowl cut in as he went to the front and stared at the screen. He looked at it for a few moments. "I do believe I know every bit of security in this manor."  
  
"And how would you know that?" Opal asked.  
  
"Because I know this manor very will . . . in fact, it's practically identical to the Fowl Manor. This is the Farl Manor, and the Fowls and the Farls /are/ related but very distantly. But the Farls loved the Fowl Manor, so they decided to have the same one built." Mr. Fowl explained.  
  
"Damn copy cat bastards," Juliet muttered.  
  
Everyone just stared at her.  
  
"So that means, you know every inch of the manor!!! And where all the security is held! This will be easy!" Verbil exclaimed.  
  
"Well, not exactly," Mr. Fowl began. "You see, we may /know/ how the security works, but we can't do anything about it."  
  
"So we have to find a way to break into the house," said Opal. "We'll get to work on it right away," she turned her swivel chair and faced the computers.  
  
"That won't be necessary," Foaly turned her chair around and turned his own, cushioned, comfortable swivel chair and started typing. "I do believe that we have just recently captured Mulch Diggums?"  
  
Opal's, Chix's, Trouble's, and especially Root's eyes widened. "MULCH DIGGUMS?? ARE YOU CRAZY??"  
  
"Geniuses have been known to be called "crazy"," Foaly shrugged. "Besides, what's wrong with this idea? Whenever we've used him, we've always infiltrated."  
  
"IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T CARE ABOUT INFILTRATION!!! IT'S THE FACT THAT HE'LL WANT SOMETHING OUT OF IT!!! AND WHO KNOWS???? HE COULD DEMAND HIS OWN FREEDOM??"  
  
"And what's wrong with that?" Opal grit her teeth, knowing that's what she wanted. "He paid his service in duty, shouldn't he deserve freedom?"  
  
"But he'll go back to stealing!"  
  
"And we'll just re-arrest him if he does. Honestly Julius, I think you just don't want your little rival crime buddy to slip between your hands." Foaly grinned.  
  
"I think we should use Diggums, Commander," Trouble agreed. "The faster we get Holly-Captain Short out of there, the better."  
  
"And Artemis?" Juliet eyed him.  
  
"Yes, and Artemis too," Trouble quickly corrected himself, though he would rather not.  
  
Commander Root sighed. "All right. Opal, you stay here and continue your duties. We're going to head over to the jail."  
  
  
  
**Hehe, FINALLY!!!! FINISHED!!! WOOOOOOOHOOOOO!!!! I know that many other people wanted me to finish too . . .**  
  
**Lots of people who reviewed this time! Thank you so much to all!**  
  
**Ti'ana: Thanx! And for the farfetched part . . . **grins** At least you're only seeing /farfetched/ . .**  
  
**Artemis Fowl the Second: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!!! Yes, there will be some kind of fight, don't worry with JEALOUSY!!!! And don't forget Chix and . . . .**  
  
**Freaky Girl: I updated! Finally . . .but still thanks again for reviewing about every single chapter! MORE PEOPLE TO LIKE HOLLY!!!!! YAY!**  
  
**Dax'ia Nariko: Thanks for reading!!! You've been supporting me a lot too! Well, there's /kind/ of no cliffhanger in this chapter, but you'll still read it anyway...right? I advise you: holding your breath for three months is not healthy.**  
  
**Hermione Weasley: It will be sad for Trouble. . . .AW..poor trubby . . .. I love my Trouble . . . .Hope you like this chapter!**  
  
**Jiana: **beams and blushes** thanks. ^.^**  
  
**Skye: Yayness for Artemis and Holly!**  
  
**Stardust Firebolt: Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you liked it so far**  
  
**Lilyanna: I CONTINUED!!! FINALLY!**  
  
** Sarah, the criminally insane : YAY YAY YAY!!!!! Thank you sooooo much for the information!!!!!! And thanks soooooo much for reviewing too!**  
  
**Trinity Day: Thanks . . . 0.0**  
  
**Arabwel: Yes, I have MOOOOOOOOOORE!!!!!!!!!!**  
  
**Anime Fanatic: **blushes** Oh, I don't know about the /best/ Artemis Fowl story . . . . I love another great Artemis Fowl story called "Excavate" and it's extremely intriguing . . .but thanks soooooo much for reviewing! And yayness for adding me to your favorites!**  
  
**Stella Evans: Thanks for reviewing! Mr. Fowl has a fake leg, so he can kick ass. ^.^ As for Holly . . .hey, she's just a likable character.**  
  
**Andrefla: Hope you enjoy this chapter!**  
  
**Angel-Wings76: I posted!!! Yay!!!! And I'm glad that you like my work! Thanks!**  
  
**Butler: Hm..the next chapter is up . . . .NOW!!! YAY!!!! AND NO CLIFFHANGERS!!!! Well . . . . kind of . . .**  
  
**Jackie: Wow, you never knew I loved to write?**  
  
**J Catz: I'm glad that you liked it. ^.^ And I'm glad you liked the last chapter.**  
  
**Jayde: Awwwww . . . .thanks soooooo much. ^.^ You really make an author feel great.**  
  
**Thundermage: I'm glad you enjoyed it so far!! And ACTION ACTION ACTION!!!**  
  
**crazygirl007: I updated!!! YAY!!!!**  
  
**Thanks to everyone who read or reviewed!!!**  
  
**Plz review, once again!**  
  
**Kree** 


	9. Chapter Seven: Mulch Running Around and ...

**I know I said I would get this chapter in by the end of the month but, the truth is, I haven't a damn moment to work on it because of all these projects. Even now, when it's winter break, ZERO TIME.can't get any rest or free time.**  
  
**So I apologize for this EXTREMELY short chapter. I'm not sure if my future chapters will be as long as the ones before either. Along with my lack of time, I have been brainstorming and rewriting over and over trying to figure out the rest of the plot for this story, so yes, I am also suffering from Writer's Block.But I do hope you accept my apologies and this chapter as probably short and boring as it is. It was annoying to write to, but it's important to have this part I guess.**  
  
**I am so dyinggggggggggggg to reveal who Agent Z is!!!! But I just have to wait . . . . . and who knows HOW LONG that'll take . . . . But I DO KNOW WHO HE IS!!!!**  
  
**And yes, I had to make Chix cool for once. Even though I don't like the fact that he likes Holly, he's a cool character ^.^**  
  
**Here's the out of character parts.**  
  
**Enjoy the story, as much of it anyway.**  
  
**Kree**  
  
Root's feet stomped heavily on the ground as he spun the prison keys with one finger and led the group to Mulch's prison cell. Captain Kelp, Private Chix, Foaly, Artemis Fowl Senior, and Juliet followed closely behind looking from cell to cell and side to side wondering which one they were going to stop at. From one gray dark room to another, they passed everyone. Finally, Root's footsteps came to a halt. Everyone stopped behind him.  
  
He pulled out the prison keys from his pocket. He shuffled through the keys and pulled out one. He stuck it in the lock and pulled the door open. Everyone glanced into the room, Root at the front.  
  
No one was there.  
  
"Get LEP authorization on this," Root grumbled as he turned around. "I want to know where they moved Diggums to."  
  
All of a sudden, Root was on the floor without a moment's notice. A small dwarf hung on the doorstep and jumped down and began running. "See ya later Julius!" He yelled as he bolted through the hall.  
  
"GET HIM!" The red faced Root ordered as he stood up.  
  
Chix began flying in front of everyone, taking a different way than Diggum's to meet up with him. He flew, dodging the workers of the prison. He waited at the end of the hallway that Diggum's was still running in.  
  
"Going somewhere?" Chix grinned as he popped out.  
  
Mulch almost ran into him but he stopped himself and began running in the other direction. He ran all the way through that hallway and began taking the hallway that Chix had used to catch up with him. He sprinted down the hall panting until he got to the end of the hall where Root was waiting for him.  
  
"Gotcha!" Root yelled with a grin of glee.  
  
"If you do, then why don't you catch me yourself?" Mulch began running down that hallway, but not for long.  
  
In two doorways right across from each other, Juliet and Mr. Fowl sat in each and held their arms across the hall steadfastly. Of course, Mulch wasn't looking where he was going and he tripped instantly over their arms. He landed face first on the ground. Juliet and Mr. Fowl quickly got to their feet as Root and Chix came over from their places. Foaly came walking over in front of Mulch as Mulch lifted his head slightly.  
  
"Good work, everyone," Foaly began abnormally loudly. "Just make sure he doesn't tunnel out of here with the secret tunnel of dirt that is one foot in front of his face."  
  
Mulch took the invitation: he immediately crawled a little forward and began to "dig".  
  
"YOU IDIOT!" Root screamed at Foaly. "YOU LET HIM HIS ESCAPE!!! YOU LET HIM ESCAPE!!!!!"  
  
"Well, maybe I did," Foaly began with a sly grin. "But I'm sure that Captain Kelp won't let him."  
  
Mulch lifted himself out of his finished tunnel to freedom. He grinned widely and thought, "that was too easy," and then realized-it was too easy. LEP would never let a criminal escape like that unless .  
  
That's when he felt a buzz baton on his behind.  
  
He groaned. "Not again .Ugh, okay Holly, I won't move," he grumbled as he didn't hesitate to turn around and face "her".  
  
Trouble laughed. "I /would/ like you to stay put, but I'm not Holly."  
  
Mulch dared to turn around and there he saw, Captain Trouble Kelp standing there with the buzz baton in he same exact position Holly had threatened him with all those years ago. "Is that stance standard in your training?" He asked out of the blue.  
  
Trouble looked at him weirdly, but answered, "no. We don't learn to do something like that. They expect it to be common sense. I just know that this stance is the best position to be in while keeping the criminal under control."  
  
"Oh, because Holly was standing and holding the buzz baton in the same exact way." But of course, Holly had been shorter then and since now Trouble was much taller, the stance was lower.  
  
Trouble stared at him while his eyes widened. Memories flooded into his head and played back one of them before his eyes:  
  
/////////////"Ugh, this is so annoying! I can do everything else, but this stupid buzz baton messes me up when I use it!" Private Holly complained as she threw it to the floor.  
  
"Come on, Holly," Corporal Trouble Kelp picked the buzz baton up. "You have to learn how to use it, it helps a whole lot keeping the fugitive or criminal under control."  
  
"I'm trying, I really am. And I know that if I don't learn the basic stuff, they might pull me out LEP and just give me traffic duty. But I don't get how anyone can use this thing so well . besides you."  
  
He handed her buzz baton to her. "Here, I'll show you a way to stand and hold the baton up the someone."  
  
"Okay," she shrugged.  
  
"Okay," he went up to her. "Now put your right foot, which is your strong foot, up slightly forward. Bend it a little," he instructed.  
  
"And what would be the point of that?" She asked trying to learn.  
  
"So that if the criminal starts to run, you're ready to lunge or run after them. Next take your buzz baton and put it right next to their neck," Trouble instructed. "That thing is off, right?"  
  
"Yeah, of course, what do you think?" She did what Trouble told her to do, and Trouble let her do it to him.  
  
"Now the point of having the shock at the neck is that is will stop movement for quite a while," Trouble grinned as Holly laughed with him. "Even if you don't get the neck, you can always get the criminal in other . . . places . . ." And they both shared another laugh. "You can try it on me."  
  
"I lied, Trub," Holly giggled (yes, Holly did giggle, one of those rare moments with Trouble) "The buzz baton isn't off," and she lunged.  
  
Trouble let out a shout as he tried to get away, but she got him and he fell to the ground. But nothing happened, and Holly began to laugh again. "Gullible, Trouble, very gullible," she he smiled warmly at him and she held out a hand to him.  
  
He smiled and took her hand and stood up. They laughed together again as their faces began so close to each other's . . . //////////  
  
"Captain Kelp, I presume you've got him?" Foaly, Root, Chix, Mr. Fowl, and Juliet ran over to him.  
  
Trouble shook away the memories and looked at them. "Yessir, this criminal won't be going anywhere out of our reach," he replied.  
  
"Nice work, captain," Foaly started. "Now let's get Diggums inside the commander's office ASAP."  
  
Mulch Diggums groaned. This was not a comfortable feeling having Trouble's buzz baton a few inches away from his neck and marching to the Commander of LEP's office. No, this was not one of his better days. What could they want, anyway? Of course, he had learned to answer his own questions. He would have made a good LEP officer, if he'd not turn to a life of crime. The first thing he noticed was that Captain Holly Short wasn't there. He grinned to himself. Had Captain Short been kidnapped again?  
  
"Sit down, criminal," Root commanded and pointed to a chair across his desk.  
  
"Julius, you must know that I prefer to be called my real name. Surely you must know that? And if you don't, it would lessen your chances of me helping you rescue Holly," Mulch scoffed.  
  
"How do you know that Holly's been kidnapped?" Trouble demanded as he grabbed Mulch's shirt.  
  
"Jeez! Calm down, I guessed, okay? Holly wasn't there again, and I guess! Now put me down!" Mulch shouted frantically. Trouble dropped him back in his seat. "Disadvantage for me when Foaly invented that groal or whatever it was called," he mumbled. They looked down on him and it was obvious that he hadn't grown an inch since the last time they'd met. "So anyway, down to business, you want me to get Holly out of wherever she is?"  
  
"And Artemis too," Juliet added.  
  
Mulch's eyes widened at that comment. "You mean the mud boy who came down years ago?" He gasped. "I have to save him too??"  
  
"Yeah, because they're both kidnapped together!" Root began to get impatient explaining everything when he wanted to get into action right away. "Yeah, we've found the location, and I want you to break in and get em out of there!"  
  
Mulch rubbed his chin with his dirty round fingers. "Tell me, what kind of security does this building have?"  
  
"Foaly, you and Verbil; give the stats," Root ordered. "I expect that you do remember."  
  
"Of course," Foaly replied as Chix nodded. He cleared his throat. "There are guards, Mud Man, may I add surrounding the building."  
  
"Which will be cake to get past," Chix rolled his eyes.  
  
"Cudgeon managed-"  
  
"Whoa whoa whoa, you didn't mention anything about Briar.he's alive???" Mulch questioned flabbergasted.  
  
"Much to our dismay, yea," Chix shrugged.  
  
"This will add to the price," Mulch faked a sigh and shook his head while Root shot him a glare.  
  
"Plasma DNA cannons guard the areas around Holly and Artemis's room, but only a few. These are probably leftovers from Koboi," Foaly rolled his eyes. "I could make so much better defenses than that."  
  
"I didn't ask for you to brag to Mulch about your technology, so get back to security," Root snapped. "Whatever you say, Julius. There are /more/ Mud Men with some kind of "weapons" made from Koboi patrolling the hallways, um, there are cameras over watch of the halls too, and uh, that's it," Foaly concluded. "Oh yes," he added again. "The surrounding twenty feet area is asphalt, which of course, we know you can do nothing about. But the rest is pure soil and clay. I'm sure that you can find your way through that," Foaly eyed Mulch.  
  
"All right." Mulch paused for a moment looking down. "Well, first I need to make sure that it is possible to get through that craphole, get them back, and out again. . .so, I suppose I'll just tunnel my way through and end up. . .?"  
  
"You'll end up in the room that's right next to Artemis's and Holly's. We already made the calculations," Trouble spoke up for once in a long time.  
  
"And what do you suggest I do next? Walk out and get shot in the head and get blasted by the DNA cannons?" Mulch snickered. "Honestly, there has to be something more you thought up."  
  
Everyone was silent and no one dared to look at each other. "Well." Foaly hesitated.  
  
"I've got an idea," Mr. Fowl interrupted the silence. "It'll be risky and the success will have to rely on speed but-" Mr. Fowl took a breath. "That captain of yours was quick to save me, so she'll be fine. And I trust that my son will escape safely with his speed."  
  
Root leaned back on his chair and motioned his hands. "All right, let's hear it."  
  
"As we observed before, I noticed the west wall of the room is right next to Holly and Artemis's cell, with the bars on the other side," Mr. Fowl explained. "All we have to do is knock down the wall and voila! Right there! They can come back into the hole that Mulch dug and crawl to the other side. . . quickly . . . and that's when the speed comes in. Plus, we'll probably have to give Mulch a weapon of some sort, just in case someone happens to be in the room, so he'll silence them."  
  
"No! I refuse to endanger my officer and the Fowl boy and risk tighter security! What if they fail? What if they can't go fast enough? What if the tunnel collapses? I'm sorry, Fowl, but that plan of yours is too risky and fallible," Root shook his head.  
  
"It's the only way we can! What else can we do?" Juliet exclaimed slamming her fists on the Root's desk. It made quite an impact, denting the hard oak wood, Trouble saw, as he watched the Super Girl's muscles bulge.  
  
"I don't know about you, but I'd rather not get obliterated by cannons when I first walk out the door. Maybe Mud Men, but not cannons," Mulch shrugged looking at his nails. "And that's the only plan that I'll go with, even though a Mud Man /did/ make it up."  
  
Root sighed and shook his head. "Fine. . .we'll go with that one, but if it fails, I'll have your head on this one, Diggums."  
  
"That is, if it isn't shot. Now, let's talk about my price for doing you this little favor. . ." Mulch clasped his hands together excitedly. "I want five years alone with none of you damned LEP agents sneaking around stalking me. Then you can chase me."  
  
"No way!" Root yelled slamming his fists on the desk. Trouble saw no dent and sighed. . .wow, he was really bored. He was watching fists slamming on desks for entertainment . . .  
  
"Fine, three years! And that's my final offer!" He cleared his throat. "Now, to continue when I had been so /rudely/ interrupted, I don't want Julius Root ever chasing me down ever again. You can send any other officer, but /you/ are not allowed to chase me anymore. . . I want to look forward to retirement. . ."  
  
Root began to grit his teeth, but he said nothing.  
  
"Don't worry, commander, you can always send me to nab him," Trouble winked.  
  
"Watch yourself, Kelp," Root retorted.  
  
"And last, I want ten dozen bars of gold," Mulch concluded.  
  
"The council is not gonna be happy about that. . ." Foaly shook his head.  
  
"Well the important thing is that /I/ remain happy, because if I'm not, then I won't do any of your dirty work," Mulch scoffed. The Commander scowled as he kicked back from his desk against the wall. The dwarf stuck his hand out. "Shake on it, Root. Shake on it, or no rescue operation."  
  
Root threw his hand out and they shook briefly. A memorable moment: Root and Diggums, rivals forever, agreeing. Even if it was for a few seconds, before Root pulled back his hand violently. "All right everyone, let's get to work!"  
  
**Comments. . .**  
  
**J Catz: Well I updated once again, but sorry to say, not that soon after. . . .*turns red* . . . yes bad me. . . . well, I hope you enjoy this short chapter.**  
  
**crazygirly007: I'm glad that you liked the chickens and pigeons ^.^ yes, one of those rare humor me moments of this fic, and I'm glad that many people liked it including you. Couldn't help but get Juliet swearing, I haven't used much of her or Mr. Fowl in the fic. She had to have one or her moments . . . Yes, Cudgeon is horribly mean, but I'm happy that I could portray has the evil villain jerk that he is and I dunno if the hug will work . . . but perhaps the lollipop! I'm extremely sorry for not updating in the longest time, and you probably still might loathe me for this short chappie but at least you know I'm not dead! Hope you like the rest of the story continuing on!**  
  
**animefanatic07: I'm thrilled that you like it and still tolerate me even after my long absence. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!**  
  
**Artemis Fowl the Second: Yes, I do plan on having a Foaly/Opal thing. . . I always love it when two rivals get together and fall in love. . . .it makes it a lot more interesting and fun to write. ^.^ I will count on having more romance in the future but in the mean time, thanks for reviewing!**  
  
**Butler: Thanks for reviewing and the complement. It's always nice to read encouragement from reviews when you're having a helluva bad time at school.**  
  
** Hyper_shark: Here's the update! Not sure about the faster part though . . .**  
  
**Windswift: Yup, Chix has been underground, someone already alerted me of my mistake, but it was fun torturing Chix a bit . . .**  
  
**Melody: Thanks. ^.^ I'm glad that you liked it, and there is going to be a third book coming soon, maybe you know this already, but it's called "Eternity Code". Hope you enjoy this chapter.**  
  
**Slime frog/Freaky girl: Yes, you have been reviewing this story for the longest time since the beginning and I want to tell you how much I REALLY appreciate it. ^.^ I'm so glad that you enjoyed this story and I hope that you like this chapter even though it's not really what I think is my best. Lol, you can claim your spot for biggest fan. =) Sorry for not updating, and yes AOL gets so annoying doesn't it? The Agent Z theory is extremely good, but I'm not saying anything! It's very creative. And don't worry, I like the ramblings.**  
  
**Evil Genius Mouse: Yes, the Root Bashing is fun, isn't it? I'm glad that you liked that part and the fic! Nope, I haven't gotten any reviews from BFW, and I do hope that I never do. . . .I've never really reviewed his/her stories, as . . . /different/ and /unappealing/ to me as they are, because I don't really like to insult people on writing ability . . .but it's just my opinion . . . .hopefully no flames though . . .**  
  
**Talon Dragon Friend: It's nice to know that you enjoy it and here comes Holly for the out of character, but just for this memory. . . .I guess in the past she /could/ have been out of character.**  
  
**noneofurbiz: Well I'm sorry it displeases you, but I don't think I'll take your suggestion into consideration.**  
  
**Say: Yes, I have decoded the message at the bottom and when I was done, I must say I was extremely happy. It was awesome and now I use the code with a lot of my friends at school. Thank you for the tidbits!**  
  
**Kelti: Torture and suffering is fun, isn't it? Especially when you're writer, and I bet lots a people will agree with me. I feel terrible about Trouble too, because his kind of emotional torture is too much to bear sometimes *bursts into tears* I love Trubby. . . **  
  
**Keira: Thanks for thinking it's cool.**  
  
**Tess: Hehe, well here's my update . . . after two months . . .horrible for two months, I know.**  
  
**Bride-of-Lister: I'm glad that you think so and I'll take a look at you're story. ^.^ Yay, I'm on a favorites! Just to tell you everyone. . . .I LIKE THAT *HINT HINT* **  
  
**T'iana: No problem at all, besides, it's like a month later when I finally update. I know that tons are gonna be on my back for this long update. Wow, this story is the only one you like? Well, maybe it's different now, but I'm honored that you like my fic.**  
  
**Jayde: Thanks for reviewing and I hope you'll like the future parts with Artemis and Trouble.**  
  
**Tie Kerl: Nope, end of February . . . .I am extremely sorry, and I hope you forgive me for the delay.**  
  
**Shichan Goddess: Wow! What a complement! I am pleased and honored that you think that, and I hope it continues to entertain you, even though this chapter is not a good example . . .**  
  
**Book_Review_Chick: I updated =)**  
  
**Jacob: No prob, hope you liked it.**  
  
**Artemis's Dark Love: Yes, the damn teachers are annoying . . . Fanfiction would be a much more satisfying hw . . . and I probably will bring the life span dilemma up and love triangles are fun, but sometimes sad too =(. Another fanfic, or rather, songfic I wrote is "The Hardest Thing" that fared pretty well here. It is a love triangle with Artemis, Holly, and Juliet. Check it out. Also at Fiction Press, I have a story called Battle 2043, which I'm trying to get published.**  
  
**Sweenian Birch: No, I don't recall having a part where Foaly was kidnapped . . .maybe it was a different fanfic?**  
  
**skybluebabe: If only . . . *sigh* And that's okay, I like craziness. =)**  
  
**Crystalia: It's nice to know that you like this fic so much and I'm sorry I didn't hurry.**  
  
**Thundermage: Hehe, yes, I like writing back to the reviewers, but the only annoying part of it is finding where you first left off . . .I updated!**  
  
**Wow, I'm really glad how the results of the last chapter turned out! 3 pages of reviewers! Thank you guys for reviewing soooooo much and for all those who read! You make a girl feel so loved. ^.^**  
  
**Hope you'll review for this one, though it'll probably not be as much as the other.**  
  
**Kree** 


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